SEVEN people, including two well-known monks, narrowly escaped death when the hoist carrying them to the top of the 32-storey Bawdi Tahtaung Yattawmu Pagoda, which contains the world’s tallest statue of the Buddha, lost power and crashed. Construction of the 424-foot (130m) statue began in 1995 and is still incomplete.

The accident, which took place in Monywa, Sagaing Division, on June 4, resulted from the careless use of the hoist, which was designed to carry building materials, the chairman of the Monywa township Peace and Development Council, U Kyaw Swar Tun, told The Myanmar Times.

“They could have been killed if the hoist had fallen farther,” he said.

The two sayadaws who were injured were Ashin Sandadika and Yawainwe (Inn-ma). With the five others in attendance, they were paying a routine visit to the building when the accident occurred. All are now in Mandalay Hospital with multiple leg injuries.

The five laymen accompanying the sayadaws were prominent local businessmen who are contributing to the cost of the pagoda.

U Kyaw Swar Tun corrected an earlier report that said the men were in a lift when the accident took place, confirming that in fact they were being transported by a hoist supposed to carry building materials. There is no lift at the monastery.

“The authorities would never allow people to ride on the hoist,” said U Kyaw Swar Tun.

It is thought that the sayadaws ignored a warning from pagoda staff that the use of the hoist was dangerous.

Daw Ohn Mar, an associate of U Shein Win, one of the laypeople accompanying the two sayadaws, who is also managing director of a local construction company, told The Myanmar Times that he had sustained injuries to his knees and right leg that would require a clamp, but was expected to leave Mandalay hospital next week.