A fire broke out in the city of Paniai, Central Papua province, just after midnight, and quickly spread to several shops, said local police spokesman Henry J. Manurung.
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“During the inspection, officers found 11 victims who died from burns. Of the 11 victims, five were adults and the other six were children,” the statement said.
The children were between two and nine years old, added Henry J. Manurung.
The fire, which raged for more than three hours, destroyed at least 40 kiosks and homes, despite the deployment of fire trucks and water cannons.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
“Due to the intensity of the fire and the fact that the houses and kiosks were very close to each other, the extinguishing process took quite a long time,” said Henry J. Manurung.
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Fatal fires in Indonesia are not uncommon. In December, 22 people died when a fire devastated a seven-story office building in Central Jakarta.
According to police, the likely cause was a drone battery explosion on the first floor.
In 2023, at least 12 people died in an explosion at a nickel processing plant in the eastern part of the country.
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