According to a quick report from Lam Thao District People's Committee: At around 10:00 a.m. this morning, October 23, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang in Zone 4, Xuan Lung Commune (house opposite Pho Quang Pagoda) was the first person to discover the Tam Bao temple on fire (fire broke out at the front left corner of the Tam Bao temple).
Mr. Quang then shouted and together with the people around the pagoda used fire extinguishers and available tools to put out the fire. However, the fire did not go out and continued to spread to the surrounding areas. Faced with the above situation, Mr. Quang called the authorities to report.
Upon receiving the news, Lam Thao district directed the functional forces to notify Lam Thao Superphosphate and Chemical Joint Stock Company to coordinate in deploying fire trucks; report and propose to the Provincial Police to direct the mobilization of fire extinguishing equipment; direct and mobilize the functional forces and people present at the scene to deploy fire fighting work, ensuring security and order...
At about 10:15, the Fire Department was present at the scene; by 11:40, the fire was controlled and extinguished.
Authorities determined that there were no human casualties. However, there was a lot of property damage including: All the wooden parts, the roof tiles, the electrical system were burned down, and the clay and wooden statues in the Tam Bao temple were damaged by the heat. The preliminary estimate of the total material damage is about 25 billion VND.
Authorities are continuing to investigate and clarify the cause of the incident.
Pho Quang Pagoda is a national relic, over 800 years old, still preserving many valuable relics and antiques, including the Lotus Stone Pedestal from the Tran Dynasty, considered a National Treasure.
