Fire in built environment

A blaze engulfed the Tai Wong Temple, a Grade I historical edifice in Yuen Long. The conflagration, which erupted at around 6.48pm today, at 26C Cheung Shing Street, reverberated with explosive sounds. Firefighters swiftly deployed two hoses and two teams equipped with breathing apparatus to combat the flames, successfully extinguishing the inferno by around 7.57pm. Over 60 individuals were evacuated with the aid of both self-evacuation and firefighting assistance.
Eyewitness images from the scene depict the temple ablaze, with its roof seemingly collapsing under the ferocity of the fire, billowing thick smoke skyward, drawing concerned residents outside for observation. Hong Kong Electric personnel were on-site to assess any potential impact on the power supply. Videos captured bystanders describing the blaze as “intense” and noting that the temple’s roof had been entirely engulfed by flames, with a section subsequently collapsing.
Historical records indicate that Tai Wong Temple, in the Cheung Shing Market, was designated a Grade I Historic Building in 1994 and officially rated on 18th December, 2009. Believed to have been constructed during the Kangxi era around 1669, this temple is a two-hall, three-bay structure with walls constructed of blue bricks. It primarily venerates the deities Hung Shing Tai Wong and Yeung Hau Tai Wong, serving as the principal temple for Nam Pin Wai and Yuen Long Kau Hui. The temple’s traditions include the Taiping Ching Chou festival, embodying a blend of religious and communal practices, having previously functioned as a yamen and official residence.
Adjacent to Cheung Shing Market at 72 Cheung Shing Street stands the over 200-year-old designated monument, “Jin Yuan Pawnshop,” operational before Hong Kong’s inception and ceasing business post-World War II, representing one of the city’s oldest pawnshops.