The incident happened in Xiangshang town, Fujian province, on February 6
A video has captured the dramatic moment when a temple's roof collapsed after a fire erupted during a play in China. The incident happened in Xiangshang town, Fujian province, on February 6.
Onlookers who witnessed the huge blaze said that the fire broke out when a play was being held on the first floor of the Lin Clan Ancestral Hall. The flames began near the roof of the building and eventually engulfed the upper storey, locals said.
The video, released by Viral Press and distributed by Associated Press, shows the upper part of the temple falling apart as the fire engulfed it completely. Meanwhile, a crowd of people can be seen outside the temple as the falling debris from the burning temple sent showers of sparks flying into the air. Soon after, the local emergency department reached the spot and tried to control the flames.
An onlooker named Lin told Viral Press, ''At the time, there was a play being held on the first floor. Everyone ran outside when they saw that a fire had broken out.''
The blaze was brought under control and there are no reports of any injuries so far.
The local emergency department said the fire had been successfully controlled by evening and claimed there were no casualties. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
In a similar incident last week, a fire ripped through a prominent Buddhist temple in Australia's Melbourne. According to ABC News, The Bright Moon Buddhist Temple in Springvale was razed by a fire that started at about 8 pm on February 5. The temple burned into the morning, and more than 80 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze.