The Brief
San Jose firefighters raced to a 3-alarm fire at a Buddhist temple on Foss Avenue.
No one was inside and no one was injured.
There was a 3-alarm fire there on May 13, 2024.
SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose firefighters raced to put out a 3-alarm fire Monday morning at a Buddhist temple, where there had been a similar fire last year.
What we know
Battalion Chief Robert Culbertson said the department received multiple calls just after 5:30 a.m. regarding the fire at Chua Duyen Giac Buddhist temple at 87 Foss Avenue.
The fire nearly destroyed the two-story building, Culbertson said, and it will be a “significant rebuild” if the people at the temple choose to do so.
Culberton said it took about 90 minutes to control the blaze, which threatened surrounding structures.
What we don’t know
Crews race to a 3-alarm fire at the Buddhist temple on Foss Avenue. Jan. 5, 2026 Photo: San Jose Fire Department
Culbertson said he doesn’t know what started the fire, which is why arson investigators were sent to the scene to determine what may have happened.
He said they were interviewing witnesses and property managers to figure it out.
There was no one inside the two-story building at the time, and therefore, no injuries, San Jose firefighters said.
Big picture view
The temple suffered another 3-alarm fire on May 13, 2024.
Crews race to a 3-alarm fire at the Buddhist temple on Foss Avenue. Jan. 5, 2026 Photo: San Jose Fire Department