A massive fire gutted India's National Museum of Natural History in the early hours of Apr. 26, destroying numerous rare specimens of flora and fauna, including a 160-million-year-old dinosaur fossil.

The 38-year-old museum in Delhi focused on the country's plants, animals and mineral wealth. Over 100 firemen worked over several hours to douse the fire, which started on the top floor of the building and swept across the museum. Officials have said that the basic fire safety equipment was not working.

The National Museum of Natural History is seen engulfed in fire at Mandi house on April 26, 2016 in New Delhi.

Firemen trying to douse the fire at Delhi's Natural History Museum.

Firefighters try to extinguish fire in the National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi on April 26, 2016.

As many as 25 fire tenders were pressed into service to contain the flames at Delhi's National Museum of Natural History.

The National Museum of Natural History is seen engulfed in fire at Mandi house on April 26, 2016 in New Delhi.

The government has already announced a new natural history museum for Rs 2.25 billion, but many Indians tweeted about losing a part of their childhood after the destruction of the old museum.

WATCH: Fire which broke out at Delhi's Natural History Museum at around 2 am today morning (earlier visuals)https://t.co/ygh6K86G4Y — ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016

V sad to see Delhi's #NaturalHistoryMuseum destroyed in a fire. Carefully curated but so run-down & forgotten lately pic.twitter.com/hs27T6x1KZ — Chetan Bhattacharji (@CBhattacharji) April 26, 2016