The Sembawang God of Wealth Temple went up in flames on Friday night, Sep. 18, but statues of the deities remained unscathed.

The fire, which engulfed two out of four storeys, took the Singapore Civil Defence Force almost three hours to put out.

Another few hours were spent on damping down operations to prevent the fire from rekindling.

A male resident from a nearby elderly home experienced breathlessness and was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Temple closed until further notice

On the morning of Sep. 19, the temple updated its Facebook page informing devotees that the premises will remain closed until further notice.

Despite the blaze, the God of Wealth Hall and Goddess of Mercy Hall are "still intact", according to the temple.

Photos of the undamaged deities accompanied the post.

Sembawang MPs in touch with temple's management

On the same morning, transport minister and Sembawang MP Ong Ye Kung said that he will be in touch with the temple's management to render assistance for its restoration.

Along with fellow Sembawang MP Lim Wee Kiak, Ong said he visits the temple almost every Chinese New Year eve.

Ong updated his post a few hours later, saying that he had spoken to the temple's chairman, and discovered that all the deities in the building were "miraculously" unharmed.

The management is arranging for a professional to access its structural integrity, he added.

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Top image via Sembawang God of Wealth Temple/Facebook