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Rei kurohi
The times of the strait
September 19, 2020
A massive fire that broke out in the Sembawang God of Wealth Temple on Friday night (September 18) killed three of the seven dogs living in the facility, but left statues of various deities intact.
A spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) told The Straits Times on Saturday (September 19) that firefighters found three dog carcasses during their night operations.
It took firefighters about three hours, from 9:15 p.m. to midnight, to extinguish the fire. They then continued to spray water on the burned surfaces for several hours to prevent the fire from reappearing, a process known as damping.
(Videos taken by three Stompers)
The temple administration said in a Facebook post Saturday that it had been caring for seven stray dogs.
“We do not chain our dogs and they are free to roam the temple grounds at night,” the temple said.
“Unfortunately, we have lost three of them because they were trapped in the second level when the fire broke out. The remaining four managed to escape and are safe.”
Transportation Minister Ong Ye Kung and Dr. Lim Wee Kiak, both MPs from Sembawang GRC, visited the temple on Saturday.
Ong said in an Instagram post later that the damage to the temple was extensive, but no one was injured. The statues of all the deities were also “miraculously” intact, he added.
Dr. Lim shared photos of the inside of the temple on Facebook after the visit, noting that the damage to the first and second floors of the four-story temple was obvious compared to photos taken during Chinese New Year.
“What was really surprising was that the five statues of the God of Wealth in the main prayer hall were not damaged by fire,” added Dr. Lim.
Dear devotees, We would like to clarify some misinformation that has been circulating regarding …
Posted by Sembawang God of Wealth Temple on Saturday September 19, 2020
“Congratulations to the 12 fire trucks and 62 SCDF firefighters who put out the fire amid high winds last night.”
The temple will remain closed until further notice, he said on Facebook.
“Fortunately, Our God of Wealth Hall and Goddess of Mercy Hall are still intact and we look forward to reopening as soon as we can,” the statement added.
The Taoist Federation is in talks with the temple administration about how to provide assistance, said its president, Tan Thiam Lye.
He told the Chinese-language Shin Min Daily News that the Sembawang Wealth God Temple began as a small temple and was carefully built to its current size through years of fundraising.
Visited Sembawang God of Wealth Temple with Minister Ong Ye Kung at noon along with SCDF and the temple administration …
Posted by Dr Lim Wee Kiak on Friday, Sep 18, 2020
According to the temple’s website, preparations to build the $ 3 million, 20,000-square-foot temple began in 1998. Construction itself began in 2004.
The temple is known for the 9.44m tall statue of the God of Wealth on its rooftop, said to be the largest of its kind in the world.
Tan added that he will convene a meeting with the federation members next week and urge them to consider oil lamps and other flammable materials in their temples to avoid similar incidents.
Coincidentally, the former temple president Chee Tig Liang died at his home from an illness unrelated to the fire yesterday morning, current temple president Chew Hai Hoo told reporters.
The Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao quoted Chew as saying that Chee had retired as president two or three years ago and had been battling an unspecified illness at home ever since.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
See more photos in the gallery.
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