A historic temple in Jiangsu, China, was engulfed in flames on Wednesday after a tourist reportedly mishandled candles and incense at the site. The fire completely destroyed Wenchang Pavilion on Fenghuang Mountain in Zhangjiagang around 11 a.m. local time.
Officials confirmed that no injuries occurred and the blaze was contained in time to prevent it from spreading to the surrounding wooded areas. Social media footage showing parts of the roof collapsing has highlighted the scale of the destruction.
Preliminary investigations suggest that improper use of candles and incense by a visitor was likely the cause of the fire. Authorities also confirmed that no significant historical artifacts were lost, as the pavilion—completed in October 2009—did not house cultural relics.
The current three-story pavilion, constructed with a reinforced concrete frame, was one of several modern structures on the temple grounds. The site itself has deep historical significance: the original Yongning Temple dates back around 1,500 years to 536 during the Southern Liang dynasty and was once managed by the nearby Yongqing Temple. It was also celebrated in Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu’s writings as one of the “four hundred eighty glorious temples” of the Southern Dynasties.
Additionally, the pavilion has literary significance: Shi Nai’an, author of the classic Chinese novel Water Margin, is said to have written part of the work in a hermitage within Wenchang Pavilion at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.
The modern reconstruction of the temple took place in the 1990s. Local authorities have pledged to enhance fire safety measures and implement further precautions based on the ongoing investigation.
This incident follows a similar tragedy just two years ago, when a fire nearly destroyed the Shandan Great Buddha Temple in Gansu Province. While surrounding buildings were lost, the large Buddha statue at that site survived with minor damage.
Officials continue to urge visitors to exercise extreme caution at historic and religious sites to prevent further disasters.
CARLSON’S ACCUSATIONS
After Tucker Carlson claimed the FBI lied about the Donald Trump assassination attempt, the agency responded directly. Carlson questioned the FBI’s statements regarding suspect Thomas Crooks, suggesting the bureau misrepresented his digital footprint. Crooks, charged with attempting to kill Trump at a July campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ultimately only struck the president’s ear but killed 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore. A Secret Service sniper shot Crooks shortly after, while two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were injured.
Carlson said, “The FBI told us Thomas Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump last summer, but somehow had no online footprint. The FBI lied, and we can prove it because we have his posts. The question is why?”
THE FBI RESPONDS
The FBI Rapid Response account pushed back immediately: “The FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.”
CARLSON DOUBLES DOWN
Carlson later shared a video he claimed the FBI, under director Kash Patel, had tried to hide. The footage, allegedly from Crooks’ Google Drive, showed shooting drills and suggested Crooks maintained multiple online personas and left YouTube comments. Carlson argued that this proved Crooks “was not some secretive lone wolf who never warned anyone that he was planning violence.” He added, “Thomas Crooks came within a quarter inch of destroying this country, and yet, a year and a half later, we still know almost nothing about him or why he did it.”
He accused the FBI of “hiding from the public what they know” and described Crooks as a “volatile, troubled, possibly mentally ill young man with a long record of espousing violence in public.” Carlson claimed the bureau “used a selective read of those comments to lie about what Thomas Crooks was thinking.”
THE FBI SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
On Friday, Patel released documents and statements that contradicted Carlson’s claims. On X, he wrote: “The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in-person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone.”
The bureau detailed its investigation, which included examining over 20 online accounts, data from more than a dozen electronic devices, numerous financial records, and over 1,000 interviews plus 2,000 public tips. Patel’s statement reinforced that Crooks acted independently and that the FBI had no record of him openly warning anyone about his intentions.