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Officials Blame Tourist's Candles for Fire at Zhangjiagang's Wenchang Pavilion

Officials emphasize the pavilion was a modern rebuild with no cultural relics.

Overview

  • A blaze on November 12 severely damaged the three‑storey wooden pavilion on Fenghuang Mountain, with video showing the roof collapsing and thick black smoke.
  • Preliminary findings point to a visitor’s improper use of candles and incense as the cause, with the investigation continuing.
  • Authorities reported no casualties and said firefighters contained the blaze before it spread to surrounding forest areas.
  • The pavilion was completed in 2009 within a reinforced concrete frame and was managed by neighboring Yongqing Temple, whose current buildings were reconstructed in the 1990s.
  • Local officials plan assessments followed by reconstruction that preserves the traditional style, alongside strengthened fire‑safety measures and potential further actions based on the inquiry.