Chinese officials have ruled out any human factor after preliminary investigation into the fire that broke out at Tibet’s most sacred Buddhist temple Jokhang Monastery, which is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list
Beijing: Chinese officials have ruled out any human factor after preliminary investigation into the fire that broke out at Tibet’s most sacred Buddhist temple Jokhang Monastery, which is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
No casualties were reported in the fire that broke out on the second floor of the rear part of the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, provincial capital of Tibet, on Saturday evening.
An area of about 50 square metres was burned in the blaze before it could be doused, according to local government.
A life-sized statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha when he was 12 years old was intact, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported late Wednesday night.
Video footage of fires leaping into the sky had sparked concerns about the damage among public. The golden top has been removed in case of collapse or re-burning and protective supports and clapboards have been erected around the statue, the report said.
