Fr. Peter Somkiat Boonanantabuth, Secretary-General of the Catholic Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Christian Unity of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of a Thai Buddhist monk in a fire at a temple in New York.
“In light of the tragic fire at Wat Usa Buddhayaram in New York, which claimed the lives of a Buddhist monk and a layman, I extend my deepest condolences to the Thai Buddhist community for this profound loss,” Fr. Somkiat said.
The fire broke out early Wednesday morning (local time) at Wat Usa Buddhayaram in the Bronx, resulting in the deaths of Phra Maha Direk Chompunid, a resident monk, and a visitor identified only as Pat, according to the temple’s Facebook page.
Local reports indicate that the fire started around 6 a.m. and quickly spread from the temple to an adjacent home. About 150 firefighters battled the flames for over two hours in freezing temperatures and strong winds before finally bringing the fire under control.
Authorities determined that the blaze was caused by a space heater placed too close to combustible materials. Efforts to extinguish the fire were delayed because the nearest hydrant was blocked by parked cars, according to the Fire Department of New York.
Founded in 1965, Wat Usa Buddhayaram is the first Thai Buddhist temple in the Bronx and serves as a spiritual and cultural center for the Thai community in New York.
Fr. Somkiat’s statement follows expressions of sympathy from various religious and community leaders in response to the incident.
