Market Fire in Central Papua’s Paniai killed 11, probe ongoing

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2 hours ago

Nabire, Central Papua (ANTARA) -A market fire in Bapouda Village, Paniai District, Central Papua, killed 11 people, including six children, local police confirmed as the investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.

Central Papua Police spokesperson, Commissioner Henry Manurung, said the fire began on Monday early morning at 00:25 p.m. local time and spread quickly to nearby shophouses. The fire burned a total of 40 buildings.

“The fire happened in a market area in Bapouda Village, East Paniai Subdistrict, engulfed dozens of buildings and caused the death of 11 residents,” Manurung said.

Manurung said local police dispatched a tactical vehicle capable of spraying water to help extinguish the flame, which was brought under control by 3:30 a.m.

“The intensity of the fire and the houses built close to each other complicate the firefighting operation,” he added.

After the fire was brought under control, joint officers searched each of the affected buildings and all the killed victims were found during the search. He said the youngest victim was aged 2 years old and the oldest was 70.

The adult victims were identified with initials Na (70), Wa (36), Ha (30), He (30), and RF (28); while the six children were identified with initials As (9), Ar (9), Ic (6), Ab (6), Ad (5), and AY (2).

All the victims have been evacuated to Paniai Regional General Hospital.

The police could not determine the exact cause of the fire yet, as the investigation is ongoing.

“We are collecting testimonials from the witnesses and probing the accident scene,” Manurung said.