Fire badly damages millennium-old temple in central Vietnam

A 1,000-year-old temple in central Vietnam has sustained serious damage after a fire on Monday morning.

Nhan Thap Temple, a national relic in Nghe An Province, got on intense fire at 9:00 am.

Part of its roof collapsed while many historically valuable artifacts were burned down.

The fire broke out in the temple’s wooden sanctum, which was destroyed completely, and was extinguished after 30 minutes.

According to preliminary investigation, the fire was triggered by a short circuit.

Nhan Thap Temple, located in Nam Dan District, was built in the 11th century during the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) to commemorate King Ly Thai To’s 8th son, who is credited with reclaiming the area.

The temple was fully restored some hundred years later.

Recognized as a national relic in 1993, the temple is home to an annual festival to pay tribute to the prince.

Fire safety and prevention has been neglected or remained inadequate at most local relics across the country.

A number of fires have taken place and caused massive destruction and irreparable cultural loss.

In late October 2013, a blaze, caused by the negligence of a group of tourists, consumed the only surviving century-old heritage house of the ancient Muong ethnic culture in northern Hoa Binh City.

One-third of Da Lat Map Enterprise, a century-old, French-style edifice and an agency of the Ministry of Defense, which holds a monumental, historical, and architectural value, in Da Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, was also burned down during a fire earlier last month.

According to experts in heritage conservation, most relics are built from wood, which makes their structures considerably more flammable.

The renovation sites of the relics, which are riddled with electric wires and full of wood shavings, are particularly vulnerable to fire.

The careless burning of beehives and garbage in nearby forests or households adjacent to the relic complexes is also one of the common threats.

The most constant risk is from tourists smoking, although it is strictly forbidden at the complexes.

Meanwhile, fire safety and prevention at many relics has been seriously inadequate, with several sites even lacking fire extinguishers.

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