False Alarm At Wong Tai Sin Temple Over 'bombs'

The discovery of what turned out to be a data-collection device sparked a bomb scare at Wong Tai Sin Temple on Sunday morning.

According to the police, it all began when workers at the temple found three silver-coloured metal boxes at different locations inside the compound at around 9am.

Each of the boxes carried a label from a local university, stating the purpose of the device and a contact phone number.

Officers who arrived at the scene found the boxes suspicious. About 150 people, both worshippers and staff, were evacuated from the temple.

A bomb disposal squad was called in to examine one of the boxes and found cables, a mobile phone, charger and an electrical circuit inside, and determined that it wasn't a bomb.

The temple said no one there were notified by the university about the placing of the devices, even though the compound is open to the public.

The temple, run by the religious group, Sik Sik Yuen, said it was frustrated by the temporary closure, but it also stopped short of blaming the university saying it might not have realised the devices created such a big problem.

A spokesman from Lingnan University later confirmed that the devices belong to their researchers, who're planning to study the impact of incense burning to air quality.

The institution apologised to the public and the temple over the matter.

______________________________