A fire broke out on February 22 in the Block Monastery, PaNga Village, Thanbyuzayat Township, in Mon State. This was the venue of the first Mon National Convention which was held in 1946.
A local from Thanbyuzayat Township said, "the fire occurred while the monks were meditating, it seems to have been an electric wire that started the fire. They called me and I went to put out the fire."
He added that no one was injured in the blaze, but the entire main building was destroyed. The fire was extinguished at 8.45 pm according to a statement from the township fire brigade.
The Block Monastery was a two story 50-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 35-foot-high brick, tiled roof structure with a wooden floor. According to the fire brigade, faults with the electrical wiring led to sleeping mattresses and accessories in a storage room in the upper upper floor, catching fire.
