Teen, 17, killed by falling 1,000kg beam while cleaning temple in Selangor
A 17-year-old student in Selangor, Malaysia, died after a beam weighing nearly 1,000kg collapsed on her while she was cleaning the interior of a temple.
In a Facebook post on April 8, Shun Tian Gong Temple in Tanjong Sepat said the tragic incident occurred at about 8pm the previous night within its premises.
According to the post, a beam had snapped and fallen, hitting the girl — identified as Guo Yujie (transliteration) — who had been sweeping the temple at the time. She sustained severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The temple expressed deep sorrow and remorse over the incident, extending its condolences to the victim’s family. It added that it would fully cooperate with the authorities moving forward.
A video posted by Malaysian media outlet China Press documented the aftermath of the incident, showing a group of people gathered at the scene.
The beam lay on the floor in three pieces, amidst a puddle of what appeared to be blood. The lower half of a person’s body could be seen near the broken beam.
Teen often helped out at temple
Lin Yaqi (transliterated), the teen’s mother, told China Press that she and her daughter were cleaning the altar when the incident occurred. She recalled hearing a sudden bang and was stunned when she turned around to see her daughter crushed under the beam, bleeding.
Panicking, Madam Lin said she whipped out her phone and recorded the harrowing scene. She then sent the footage to her husband and children, asking them to rush down to the temple.
Explaining that the family lived nearby, Madam Lin said her father-in-law regularly cleaned the temple and Yujie often accompanied her family and helped with maintenance tasks.
Only Yujie and her mother were in the temple at the time of the incident — the pair were helping to light oil lamps on the altar when the beam fell on the teenager.
Yujie was a student who had been preparing to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination — the equivalent of Singapore’s GCE O-level exams — this year.
She was reportedly the second eldest in the family, and has an older sister and younger brother. In an interview with Malaysian news outlet Sin Chew Daily, her mother described her as a well-mannered and cheerful girl who performed well academically.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Shin Min Daily News reported that CCTV footage showed the girl looking up moments before the incident, as if she sensed something was amiss. However, the beam gave way and fell almost immediately, leaving her no time to react.
Beam reportedly showed signs of damage
China Press reported that the wooden beam was part of a building structure erected four years ago and reportedly showed signs of damage.
The century-old temple reportedly attracts plenty of devotees — both local and from overseas — during festive periods such as Chinese New Year.
Kuala Langat police chief Superintendent Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi told China Press that further details of the case would be released soon.
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
