A devastating market fire in Paniai, located in Indonesia’s Central Papua province, has killed 11 people, including six children, and destroyed at least 40 kiosks and houses. The blaze broke out shortly after midnight on Monday, sweeping rapidly through tightly packed shophouses and market stalls.
Police spokesman Henry J Manurung said the fire burned for more than three hours, despite efforts by firefighters using trucks and water cannons. Officers discovered the victims during a site inspection, all of whom suffered severe burn injuries. The children killed were aged between two and nine years old, while the remaining five victims were adults.
Authorities say the dense layout of the market made the situation far worse. “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,” Manurung noted. The close proximity of structures allowed flames to spread uncontrollably, hampering rescue efforts.
Indonesia has seen several deadly fires in recent years. In December, a blaze tore through a seven‑storey office building in Central Jakarta, killing 22 people — an exploding drone battery was identified as the likely cause. In 2023, an explosion at a nickel‑processing plant in eastern Indonesia killed at least 12 people, underscoring persistent safety challenges across industrial and residential areas.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the Paniai fire, and investigations are ongoing.