A devastating fire that tore through a market area in Indonesia’s Central Papua province has killed 11 people, including six children, after flames rapidly spread through tightly packed homes and shops in the early hours of Monday.
The fire broke out at about 12:25 a.m. local time in Kampung Bapouda, Paniai Timur District, Paniai Regency, according to Indonesian authorities. The blaze quickly intensified and spread to neighbouring kiosks and houses, destroying about 40 buildings in the densely populated market area.
Kompol Henry J. Manurung, a public information officer with the Central Papua Regional Police, confirmed the scale of the tragedy, saying the market-area fire resulted in dozens of houses being burned and 11 deaths.
Police said the victims comprised five adults and six children. The children were between two and nine years old, according to authorities. All 11 bodies were evacuated to Paniai Regional Hospital for further handling and identification.
The fire also left 20 people injured, while approximately 40 homes and kiosks were destroyed, according to a report from Indonesia’s ANTARA news agency. The extent of the destruction has added to the shock in the local community, where many residents operate small businesses and live close to their shops.
The rapid spread of the flames was reportedly aided by the close arrangement of buildings in the market area. Police have begun investigating how the fire started and what caused it to escalate so quickly.
Paniai Police Chief AKBP Royke Betaubun said preliminary information from witnesses indicated that two people were seen in front of one of the houses before the flames engulfed the building. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident as they work to establish the cause of the blaze.
Firefighters and police personnel battled the blaze for hours before it was brought under control at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time. A police water-spraying tactical vehicle was also deployed to assist firefighting efforts.
The tragedy has placed renewed attention on fire safety in densely populated market communities, where closely packed structures can allow flames to move rapidly from one building to another.
Authorities have not announced a final cause of the fire as investigations continue.
