Firefighters in San Jose, California, responded early on Monday morning to a three-alarm fire at Chua Duyen Giac, a large Vietnamese Buddhist temple in the city’s East Side neighborhood that had already sustained extensive damage in a major blaze in 2024.
According to the San Jose Fire Department, crews were dispatched at approximately 5:37 a.m. to the 90 block of Foss Avenue after reports of a structure fire at the two-story, mixed-use temple complex. Firefighters arriving on scene found active fire conditions and raised the response to a third alarm as they worked to contain the large blaze.
A fire department official noted that crews used “multiple aerial master streams to control the blaze.” (KRON4)
Fire officials reported that no one was inside the building at the time of the incident, and no injuries were immediately reported. During firefighting operations, crews observed a partial roof collapse, underscoring concerns about the structural integrity of the building, which had not fully recovered from damage caused by the earlier fire in 2024.
As a precaution and to facilitate emergency operations, Foss Avenue was closed to traffic while firefighters worked at the scene. Traffic signals were also reported to be out along Alum Rock Avenue between Interstate 680 and Sunset Avenue, contributing to traffic disruptions in the surrounding area during the morning commute.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company confirmed that an unplanned power outage had affected customers near the fire site. The utility attributed the outage to third-party damage connected with the incident and stated that crews were working to restore power as quickly as possible. Power restoration efforts were ongoing as firefighters began scaling back their response.
Later on Monday the morning, fire officials said crews were in the process of clearing the scene, and impacted roads were expected to reopen once conditions were deemed safe.
Monday’s fire marks the second major blaze at Chua Duyen Giac in less than two years. On 13 May 2024, a three-alarm fire tore through the same temple, leaving the building badly damaged and displacing residents who had been living onsite. During that incident, one person was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation, according to fire officials at the time.
Chua Duyen Giac serves as a religious and community center for Vietnamese Buddhists in San Jose and the wider Silicon Valley area. Vietnamese Americans make up one of the largest Asian American communities in Santa Clara County, California, and Buddhist temples such as Chua Duyen Giac often function not only as places of worship but also as hubs for cultural events, language education, and social services.
The repeated fires raise questions about the long-term future of the temple site and the challenges faced by religious communities seeking to rebuild after major disasters. Fire department battalion chief Robert Culbertson said the extensive damage would require a “significant rebuild” if the Buddhist community wished to again use the building. (KTVU)
Fire officials have not yet released information on the cause of Monday’s blaze, and an investigation was expected to determine whether it was related to the 2024 fire or ongoing repair and stabilization work.
As of Monday afternoon, authorities had not announced an estimated timeline for a full investigation or for potential rebuilding efforts. Temple representatives had not yet issued a public statement regarding the fire.
See more
Crews battle blaze at San Jose Buddhist temple Monday (KRON4)
Crews battle blaze at San Jose Buddhist temple Monday (KTVU)
Previously fire-hit Buddhist temple burns again in San Jose (NBC Bay Area)
Early morning fire breaks out at Buddhist temple in San Jose (CBS News)
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