Divine inferno: Temple fire causes 10 million baht damage, monk injured
Tragedy struck in the early hours of this morning as a fire ripped through Khlong Wat Rai temple, a religious edifice located in Bang Rakam district, Phitsanulok province. The vicious blaze, which sparked at around 3am, reduced the primary sermon building and ten adjacent accommodations reserved for monks to cinders.
The abbot of the temple, Pairote Sunthornkit monk, reported the genesis of the fire as being in the kitchen, from whence it voraciously expanded, swallowing the sermon hall, an antiquated wooden structure used for clergy activities. Subsequently, it didn’t spare the 10 surrounding wooden living quarters specifically reserved for monks.
In response to the incident, 10 fire trucks under the aegis of local police were rapidly dispatched to the temple. Despite their efforts, by the time they subdued the fiery tongues, the main sermon hall and the monks’ residences had been completely decimated. The blaze took nearly an hour to bring under control, reaffirming the ruthless nature of the fire, reported Bangkok Post.
Among the unfortunate victims caught up in the heartbreaking inferno was 58 year old monk Wuthi Pongtamo. He suffered burns on his arms and torso and was subsequently admitted to Bang Rakam Hospital for treatment and recovery.
An initial assessment of the catastrophe suggests that the damage inflicted may cost as much as 10 million baht (US$282,000). However, a detailed investigation is already in progress to unearth the hidden roots and precise cause of this horrendous disaster.
Regrettably, photographs that have emerged post-incident depict the religious abode reduced to a skeletal frame, smouldered down to its bare structure. The main sermon hall at Khlong Wat Rai temple in Bang Rakham district indeed paints a poignant picture of the devastating aftermath.
As police delve deeper into the cause of the catastrophe that swept through the religious site, the district of Phitsanulok and its denizens are left to grapple with the sudden upheaval that disrupted their peace.
