Boy, 7, starts fire at Taipei temple linked to famous 'poisoned beverage' case

A fire erupted at the Guangming Fude Temple in Taipei's West District around 3 a.m. on August 28, caused by a 7-year-old boy playing with incense paper. The child reportedly took a lighter from a cabinet and ignited the paper, then fled the scene on a bicycle as the flames grew.

Firefighters responded promptly, dispatching seven fire trucks and 21 personnel to extinguish the fire, which burned an area of about one square meter. Fortunately, the temple's structure, described as a "temple within a temple," protected the main deities, including the Earth God and Tiger Lord, from damage.

The incident has drawn attention due to a local legend connecting the temple to the infamous 2005 "poisoned beverage" case. This case involved a perpetrator who injected cyanide into popular drinks like "Man-Bull" and "Bao Li Da B," leading to one death and multiple victims. The legend claims that investigators prayed at this very temple, after which they quickly apprehended the suspect.

While the connection remains a matter of local folklore, the fire has reignited discussions about the temple's supposed mystical influence. Police have notified the boy's guardians, and the fire department's investigation unit is working to determine the exact cause of the blaze.