A tragic fire at a Buddhist temple in New York City has resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a monk. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning around 6 a.m. in the Bronx, according to local fire authorities. “We had fire throughout two buildings, and unfortunately, we did have two fatalities,” stated an FDNY chief, John Esposito.

As of Thursday morning, fire and police officials had not disclosed the identities of those who lost their lives, as families were still in the process of being informed, according to a spokesperson from the NYPD. The small temple, which is situated within a two-story townhouse painted white, suffered extensive damage, and a monk’s residential quarters in the adjacent building were also affected.

“It’s a disaster right now—the temple, but I was so shocked. We will do our best to help; the entire Thai community, from all around the world, will assist,” temple treasurer Mayuree Sriphirom expressed during an interview with TV station WABC. She added that one of the deceased was a monk who had previous health issues.

Fire department officials shared on social media that the blaze started due to an accident involving a space heater that had been positioned too close to combustible materials. Reports indicate that the fire ignited while individuals were asleep in the building, triggered by clothing situated near the heater. Pam Sudbanthad, a support worker from the temple, elaborated, “The clothes near the space heater caught fire. One monk was downstairs praying and heard another monk alert everyone about the fire. He then began to wake everyone up.”

The fire intensified quickly, wreaking havoc on the temple and spreading to adjacent residential properties, as reported by the fire chief. Footage captured during the blaze showed fire officials instructing their teams to retreat due to the rapid escalation of the flames, indicating that the structure was beyond saving.

Compounding the tragedy, illegally parked vehicles in front of fire hydrants hindered the emergency response efforts. “We did unfortunately have a car parked on the closest fire hydrant,” Esposito noted. “This has happened several times in the last week across the city. People need to understand that parking on fire hydrants slows us down, and in firefighting, every second matters.” It was noted that at least one other incident impacted by illegally parked cars also resulted in fatalities.