FORT SMITH — A Fort Smith fire official says one person has died in a fire at a Buddhist temple.
Assistant Chief Terry Bigler said the building was engulfed when firefighters responded early Thursday morning. He said there was one fatality but information about the person killed wasn't immediately known.
It took firefighters about six hours to extinguish the flames.
The department's preliminary estimate is that the blaze caused $120,000 in damage to the building and $110,000 to contents inside.
Officials say the cause of the fire wasn't immediately known and the city fire marshal is investigating.
Bigler said the blaze is the first fatal fire of the year in the city.