Ancient Myanmar temple building collapses, six killed

Malaysia Star ^ | May 31, 2009

[rdl6989]

YANGON, Myanmar: (AP) A 2,300-year-old Myanmar temple building totally collapsed while workers were attempting to repair it, killing six people and injuring 30, witnesses said Sunday.

Some people were still trapped beneath bricks, bamboo scaffolding and other debris a day after the collapse Saturday, said Tin Shwe, who runs a small shop near the temple.

The tall, bell-shaped structure, called a stupa, collapsed because of age and deterioration, said a temple official, Tin Tin Win. Damage to the Danok temple was detected in 2006.

Tin Shwe said most of the victims were navy personnel doing reconstruction work on the temple, located in the southern part of Yangon. Military personnel often work on public projects in Myanmar.

Villagers from nearby communities also were assisting in the effort. The accident was not reported in the country's state-run media.

On May 7, the wife and family members of Myanmar's junta leader, Than Shwe, attended a religious ceremony at the temple during which a diamond orb was placed atop the structure. The orb fell to the ground during the collapse.

"Authorities are looking for the diamond bud (orb), relics and other precious ornaments" kept inside the stupa, said Tin Win Win, a member of a committee to collect donations for the shrine.

[rdl6989]

Ping.

[Steve Van Doorn]

I believe was is it.

[Wiseghy]

Burma; yet another failed communist state on the China border, like N. Korea.

China seems to have this problem with failed hermit states that exist in its shadow, yet are protected and controlled by them.

Both countries treat their own people horrendously, and destablize their regions. NK simply tries to take it global by using nukes.

The MSM completely ignores that fact that both nations are virtual client states of Red China.

[rdl6989]

Thanks for the photograph.

[SIDENET]

That thing is PIMP.

[snarks_when_bored]

That’s the Shwedagon Pagoda; it was the Danok Temple that collapsed (per the story).

[Atomic Vomit]

"...said Tin Win Win, a member of a committee..."

Yo, Tinty!

AV

[snarks_when_bored]

It was the Hsandawshin Hsutaungpyae Danok Pagoda that collapsed. Here's a story about the May 7th diamond-orb raising ceremony (click on the images to view them at full size):

Source of these images:  "The New Light of Myanmar" 8 May 2009 (PDF)

[Steve Van Doorn]

sorry if I made a mistake. I think this is a shot after it fell.

[snarks_when_bored]

Yes, that looks like it could be a post-collapse pic...the tower is gone. Nice find.

[Jack Hammer]

For all its political turmoil, Burma really is an absolutely gorgeous country. This is a shame, but they’ll get it put up again.

[sphinx]

2,300 years old? What a shame.

There should be a law against anything that old collapsing.

[Lockbar]

If Obama was there, he would have been able to save it! He can do EVERYTHING!

[Vaduz]

Sounds like it was one of Obama’s shovel projects.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP for the victims.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Wow. Thanks rdl6989. I remember seeing footage of a 2500 year old stone pagoda (probably on Unsolved Mysteries), I thought it was in Rangoon, couldn't come up with a picture, and this isn't what I remember. :') Terrible loss. [mp3] To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[Sawdring]

They just don’t make em, like they used to. The old timers really knew what they were doing. ;)

[fanfan]

It used to be Siam, right?

[elephantlips]

Tin Tin Win has an ancient connection to Hollywood and Rin Tin Tin.