China plans to form a fire brigade to protect its oldest wooden pagoda -- nearly 1,000 years old and believed the tallest of its kind in the world -- from possible flames.

According to the tentative plan, more than 20 firefighters and a fire engine will guard Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, a Buddhist heritage site built in 1056 in north China's Shanxi Province.

The pagoda will also to have a lightning rod installed. Earlier this year an ancient temple in Shanxi, famous for its ancient Buddha statue, was damaged by lightning.

The nine-story octagonal pagoda stands 65.86 meters, equal to a 22-story building; its first two stories have begun to lean northeastward in recent years. The pagoda is 115 years older and 11.36 meters taller than the renowned Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.

Guo Yimin, head of Shanxi provincial fire brigade, said the pagoda is highly flammable because it's made entirely of wood. Even a burning match could destroy the whole building, he said.

Until now, no local fire station has existed in Yingxian county. It takes at least half an hour for the nearest fire brigade in the neighboring county to reach the scene in case of fire, which would be too late, Guo said.

Two suggestions on the location of the fire brigade have been advanced. One is to have it set up 100 meters northeast of the pagoda. The other is to build a fire station in the downtown area to protect the whole county. Local authorities will work out the final solution through further discussion.

Apart from the threat of fire, the ancient pagoda is faced up with the risk of collapse from old damage caused by earthquakes and cannon attacks. The Chinese government launched a massive restoration and salvation project to save the national treasure in 2001. The project is still underway.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2004)