Upon receiving the news, the Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue Police force immediately arrived to put out the fire.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Bui Van Quang - Director of Quang Ngai Urban Environment Joint Stock Company said: In recent years, the unit has spent a lot of time and effort to take care of the banyan tree to revive it. When we heard that the banyan tree was on fire, we were very sorry. I also just heard the news and was running to the scene to check.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung - Chairman of Cam Thanh Ward People's Committee commented that today is the first day of the lunar month, so many people came to burn incense under the banyan tree, leading to a fire. "The banyan tree trunks have many empty locations so they are prone to fire. It is very likely that it will be difficult to revive the banyan tree for the second time" - Mr. Hung commented.
This is a precious ancient banyan tree in Truong Quang Trong ward. In September 2021, the tree suddenly fell. The tree is about 4m in diameter, 20m higher, with a canopy of 30-60m wide, located on the sidewalk near a house, with a wide canopy, often covered in shade.
The 120-ton banyan tree is located on the main road leading to National Highway 1A, so when it fell, it blocked the road, causing traffic obstruction, however, the relocation encountered many difficulties due to the "old banyan tree" being too heavy and bulky. It took about 5 days for the authorities of Quang Ngai province to mobilize a large number of "huge" machines to move the "old thing" to Thien But mountain for care.
The reason Quang Ngai province is determined to reborn the "old banyan tree" is because many people in Quang Ngai province believe that the perennial banyan tree is very sacred. Responding to the wishes of the majority of people, Quang Ngai province directed the Quang Ngai Provincial Association of Warning Biology and related agencies to use large cranes and many tools and human resources to prune and treat wounds for ancient banyan trees.
According to the Quang Ngai Provincial Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, this banyan tree is over 200 years old, and is one of three precious ancient banyan trees in the locality. Previously, the association proposed to recognize this banyan tree and a banyan tree in Long Dau mountain near Tra Khuc river as heritage trees. This banyan tree is also associated with a history of anti-invasion.
