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Man hit by falling tile at Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple, staff installs safety nets on temple arch

The man scratched by the tile did not need to be hospitalised.

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December 30, 2024, 02:52 PM

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Three loose tiles at the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple at Waterloo Street fell and hit a devotee on his arm on the morning of Dec. 29.

The man, who is believed to be in his fifties, had been queueing at the entrance and was waiting for his turn to offer incense when the tiles became loose, reported Lian He Zao Bao.

The man suffered a scratch on his arm, but did not need to be taken to hospital.

Based on photos taken by those at the temple, parts of the broken tiles could be seen on the ground.

It appears that loose tiles were part of a decorative panel situated on the main archway of the temple.

Photo from Lian He Zao Bao

The temple was particularly crowded as many devotees were there to pray for blessings for the upcoming New Year, reported Lian He Zao Bao.

Devotee Song Kangming (transliteration), 48, had been at the temple to burn incense when he witnessed the incident.

In an interview with Zao Bao, Song said that a mother and child were just metres away, and were shocked by the falling tiles.

Song also expressed his desire for the temple to implement safety measures quickly.

"With Lunar New Year coming, there are bound to be more visitors coming to pray. I hope the temple can immediately take action for the safety of temple-goers."

Temple aware of incident, installed mitigation measures

When Zao Bao visited the temple a day after the incident on Dec. 30, a blue sheet had already been secured over both sides of the main archway with tape.

Photo from Lian He Zao Bao

According to a spokesperson from the temple, restoration measures are in the works, and a net has been placed to protect members of the public for now, reported Zao Bao

Mothership has reached out to the temple for comment.

Top image from Google Maps and Lian He Zao Bao

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