Fire at Donghae's Samhwasa temple extinguished in 2 hours; no casualties

A fire broke out at Samhwasa temple in Samhwa-dong, Donghae, Gangwon Province, at around 3:41 p.m. Saturday, gutting the Museoljeon hall used for temple stay programs before firefighters extinguished the blaze 2 hours and 5 minutes later.

Nineteen pieces of equipment, including fire trucks, and 57 firefighting and rescue personnel were deployed to battle the blaze and conduct safety checks. No casualties were reported, and six people, including temple stay participants, evacuated safely.

The fire did not spread to other buildings or facilities on the temple grounds. Key halls, including the main worship hall, Daeungjeon, sit on elevated platforms and remained out of the fire's reach.

Two nationally designated treasures held by Samhwasa — both dating to the Unified Silla and early Goryeo periods — were also confirmed safe.

Witnesses reported seeing flames emerge from the roof area, and authorities said accidental mishandling of fire was considered unlikely. Investigators are examining several potential causes, including an electrical short circuit caused by overloading.

Built during the Unified Silla period, Samhwasa sits at the entrance to the trail leading to Betulbawi rock — likened to a miniature version of China's Zhangjiajie — and along the path to Haksodae, beside the Mureung Biseok rock in Mureunggyegok valley, a nationally designated scenic site.