A fire completely destroyed the century-old wooden monastery hall at Wat Mon Pu Yak, also called Wat Mon Santhan, in Lampang province. The cause is believed to be an electrical short circuit. Villagers wept over the loss of another piece of architectural beauty and Burmese art.
At 6:30 a.m. on 2 Feb 2025 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyoros Chookul, an investigator at Khelang Nakhon Police Station in Mueang district, Lampang province, received reports of a fire at Wat Mon Pu Yak, also known as Wat Mon Santhan, in Phra Bat subdistrict, Mueang district, Lampang. He promptly went to the scene with fire trucks and local rescue teams.
The scene was a century-old wooden monastery hall. The fire spread rapidly. Firefighters mobilized to douse the flames and took about an hour to control the fire. However, the hall and its contents were completely destroyed. Some villagers were moved to tears by the loss.
Initial investigations revealed that the abbot was not at the temple during the fire, as he was attending a religious event outside the area. Local residents saw large smoke clouds and flames and quickly alerted firefighters. The preliminary cause is suspected to be an electrical short circuit, but the exact cause awaits further examination by Lampang's forensic unit 5.
Wat Mon Pu Yak, also called Wat Mon Santhan, is located on a hill near the Phra Bat community. It was built in 1899 CE in Phra Bat subdistrict, Mueang district, Lampang. The temple is one of the province's ancient sites noted for its beautiful Burmese architecture and art.
