The fire at Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Tuesday morning was completely extinguished almost two hours after it broke out at 10:22 a.m., with no reported casualties.
According to the National Fire Agency, a total of 142 firefighters and 35 fire engines contained the main flames at 11:36 a.m. and brought the fire under complete control at around 11:50 a.m.
Though the fire was suspected to have originated from a memorial hall connected to the Central Buddhist Museum, which is near the temple, the cause is yet to be confirmed by the fire agency.
No casualties were reported, and 8 of 33 at-risk cultural heritage items were moved out before the fire spread further.
The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea, reportedly announced that the eight heritage items, including its Buddhist paintings, would be relocated to the National Palace Museum of Korea.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
