On the 26th, ``Cultural Property Fire Prevention Day,'' a firefighting drill was held at Tsukiji Honganji Temple in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, which is designated as a nationally important cultural property.
``Cultural Properties Fire Prevention Day'' was established in response to the fire that occurred at Horyuji Temple in Nara on January 26, 1948, when a national treasure mural was destroyed.
In conjunction with this, a training exercise was held at Tsukiji Honganji Temple in Chuo Ward, which is designated as a nationally important cultural property, and approximately 40 people, including people from the Tokyo Fire Department and temple officials, participated.
Prior to the drill, a moment of silence was held for the victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
The drill was conducted under the assumption that a fire broke out in a temple building due to a major earthquake directly under the capital.First, a self-defense fire brigade made up of temple staff guided the evacuation of visitors and brought out wooden boxes containing cultural assets. After the fire was extinguished, the fire department was notified.
Firefighters then responded to the call and used a ladder truck to rescue people who were stranded on the roof of the building.
Finally, firefighters and members of the local fire brigade sprayed water on the building.
Yoshinori Okuda, Chief of the Prevention Division at the Kyobashi Fire Department, said, ``I hope that through this training, there will be more momentum than ever to protect the cultural assets that are the people's precious assets.''