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A fire that swept through a market in Paniai, Indonesia’s Central Papua province, killed 11 people, including six children, after flames broke out shortly after midnight on Monday and spread rapidly through nearby shophouses. Police said the blaze continued for more than three hours despite efforts by firefighters using fire trucks and water cannons.
Police spokesman Henry J Manurung said officers discovered the victims during an inspection of the site, all of whom had suffered burn injuries. Five of those killed were adults, while the remaining six were children aged between two and nine years old. Authorities are working to establish what caused the fire.
Tight buildings hamper firefighting efforts
The closely packed layout of the market and surrounding structures made it difficult for firefighters to bring the blaze under control. Henry said, “The intensity of the blaze and the fact that the houses and stalls were all packed tightly together made the firefighting process take quite a long time.”
The fire is the latest deadly blaze to hit Indonesia, where such incidents are not uncommon. In December, 22 people were killed when a fire swept through a seven-storey office building in Central Jakarta. Police said an exploding drone battery on the ground floor was the likely cause. Source Fristpost.
