Seoul: A blaze erupted on Tuesday in a building adjacent to Seoul’s historic Jogye Temple, home to some of South Korea’s cherished national treasures. Fire officials successfully contained the fire, ensuring no damage to the priceless artefacts or injuries to individuals, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred in a structure used by the Jogye Order, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, which also houses a Buddhist museum containing two national treasures and numerous cultural heritage artefacts. Over 300 monks and officials attending a meeting in the building’s conference hall were evacuated without incident, according to Jongno district fire department official Kang Kyung-chul during a briefing.
“More than 300 monks and officials from the Jogye order, who were meeting in the building’s conference hall, were evacuated safely,” Kang Kyung-chul told reporters.
Firefighters deployed approximately 36 fire trucks to the scene after thick smoke was spotted rising from the concrete building. Quick action prevented the flames from spreading to the temple’s main hall, a predominantly wooden structure central to the Jogye Temple complex. The temple, a spiritual and cultural landmark in Seoul, attracts thousands of visitors annually.
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While the specific national treasures housed in the building were not immediately disclosed, museum officials and monks at the scene were already taking precautions. “Museum officials were preparing to temporarily move some of the items to protect them from soot and smoke damage,” a monk and a museum official stated on-site.
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The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Kang noted, as authorities work to determine what sparked the blaze. The swift response and containment efforts ensured that South Korea’s cultural heritage was preserved, averting a potential tragedy at one of the nation’s most significant religious sites.
