Massive fire tears through centuries-old pagoda in Hanoi

By Phuong Son   November 4, 2016 | 07:37 pm PT
It took nearly two hours for firefighters to contain the midnight blaze.

Fire ripped through the centuries-old Tinh Lau pagoda in Hanoi on Friday night, burning down the main chamber. No casualty has been reported.

The fire reportedly erupted at around 11:20 p.m from the wooden chamber, before spreading to other areas.

Residents in Tay Ho District tried to help put out the blaze but could not. Many reportedly rushed in to bring out whatever they could to the street.

Firefighters and police arrived at the scene, pumping water from the nearby West Lake to control the flames. Strong winds made such a task difficult.

At around 1:00 a.m, the fire was extinguished, but the whole chamber and almost everything inside had been burned down.

Local authorities are investigating the incident.

Tinh Lau Pagoda is recognized as an important cultural and historical site. It is generally believed to be at least 600 years old.

But according to some historians, the temple could have been built during the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225). Formerly known as Thanh Lau, the temple was later renamed to Tinh Lau during the Nguyen Dynasty.

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