San Jose firefighters tackled a significant blaze that engulfed a Buddhist temple on Monday evening. According to a report by NBC Bay Area, the three-alarm fire broke out on the 90 block of Foss Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. The firefighting brigade was able to subdue the roaring flames by 8:45 p.m., ensuring no injuries were sustained in the incident.
While battling the fire, the San José Fire Department communicated updates via Twitter, highlighting the good progress made by the fire crews and the successful prevention of damage to adjacent structures. Displaced by the event, four residents who called the temple home found themselves at the mercy of the flames that evening, as per the updates from the SJFD's X account.
UPDATE: Fire knocked down at 8:42pm. Some crews beginning to clear while others will remain on scene to perform overhaul. pic.twitter.com/vJZdBoA2n8
— San José Fire Dept. (@SJFD) May 14, 2024
In a statement retrieved by NBC Bay Area, SJFD Captain Graham Flanagan revealed the building's layout, "The vast majority of this building is a large meeting area, fortunately there was no meetings at the time," and added, "The only people that were in the building were the four people who live in the building. They live in a small unit that's towards the rear of the building above the garage space."
The fire's origin remained a mystery as investigators continued to sift through the charred remains, searching for clues that might lead to an explanation. Speaking about the heroism displayed by the fire crews, the San José Fire Department reported that the fire was knocked down at 8:42 p.m., with some personnel beginning to leave the scene. In contrast, others remained to perform an overhaul and ensure the fire would not reignite, casting a shadow once more over the community.
