Arson ruled out as cause of temple fire

LHASA - A preliminary investigation has ruled out foul play in the fire that broke out in Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region.

No casualties were caused by the fire, and the life-size statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha when he was 12 years old was intact.

The fire broke out in the ventilating chamber on the second floor of the monastery at 6:40 pm on Saturday and burned an area of about 50 square meters.