OOPS!

A friend of mine that lives opposite the Shrine in a St Kilda Road apartment witnessed a disturbing incident the other day!

Whilst carrying out her daily routine of sucking in some fresh Melbourne air from her apartment's balcony, she saw a Shrine employee standing inside the Eternal Flame's fenced off enclosure. It appeared that the person was attempting to clean the copper bowl that surrounds the flame with a bucket of water and a broom.

The employee was somewhat overzealous and, whilst splashing water around to help loosen the grime, managed to, somehow, quench the flame!

The flame which burns continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is a symbol of peace and it is an offence to actually put it out.

Apparently the red-faced employee "Ran like the wind" to summon assistance from a work mate, who managed to re-light it shortly after without singeing off his eyebrows!

My friend has asked the question: "Did the employee that extinguished the flame get fined or cautioned by the Police?" - I guess we will never know the answer to that one.

I visited the Shrine the other day and enquired about the incident I was told that it did not happen!