A market fire in Indonesia’s easternmost Papua region has killed 11 people, including six children, after flames swept through a busy commercial area in Paniai, Central Papua province.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Monday and quickly spread through tightly packed shophouses, kiosks and homes, leaving firefighters battling for more than three hours to bring the blaze under control.
Police spokesman Henry Manurung said officers discovered 11 bodies while inspecting the affected area after the fire. The victims comprised five adults and six children aged between two and nine years old.
The intense blaze destroyed at least 40 kiosks and houses, despite efforts by firefighters who deployed fire trucks and water cannons to contain the flames.
Authorities said the closely packed buildings made firefighting particularly difficult, allowing the fire to spread rapidly from one structure to another.
Manurung explained that the intensity of the fire, combined with the tight arrangement of houses and stalls, significantly slowed efforts to bring the blaze under control.
The fire continued for several hours before emergency responders were able to contain it.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the deadly fire.
Police have not yet established what triggered the blaze, and investigations are continuing as authorities assess the extent of the damage and identify the victims.
The incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety in densely populated communities across Indonesia, where closely built structures can allow fires to spread rapidly.
Deadly fires are relatively frequent in Indonesia, particularly in densely populated areas where homes, shops and other structures are often built close together.
In December, a fire at a seven-storey office building in Central Jakarta killed 22 people. Police said an exploding drone battery on the ground floor was the likely cause of that incident.
In 2023, an explosion at a nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia also killed at least 12 people, highlighting the continuing risks associated with fires and industrial accidents across the country.
The Paniai fire is now being investigated by Indonesian authorities, with the cause yet to be determined.
As emergency officials assess the damage, the deaths of six children aged between two and nine have made the incident particularly devastating for the affected community.
The 11 deaths and destruction of at least 40 kiosks and houses underscore the dangers posed by rapidly spreading fires in densely built commercial and residential areas.
