PAPUA - Mimika Police, Papua is still investigating the cause of the fire on Jalan Budi Utomo Timika, next to the Horison Diana Shopping Center and Hotel complex on Tuesday afternoon, April 5.
"We haven't revealed the exact cause yet," said Mimika Police Chief AKBP Era Adhinata in Timika.
He said his staff together with the local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) focused on extinguishing the fire and securing the location of the fire until 14.30 WIT.
To BPBD Mimika Yosias Lossu admitted that his staff was quite late in responding to the fire that hit a number of stalls and clothing stores which were located between the Shopping Center and the Horison Diana Hotel and the shophouse building from the Minang Restaurant to the Tjandra Medika Hospital.
Four new fire engines arrived at the scene at around 12.00 WIT, almost an hour after a massive fire destroyed all buildings in the area.
One of the shop owners who caught fire, Sri said that the fire came from a stall that used to sell Palembang's empek-empek food.
"I was cooking, suddenly the fire got bigger. The fire started from a stall selling empek-empek. Because the fire was getting bigger, I ran outside," Sri said while wiping her tears, reported Antara.
To help extinguish the fire, the Mimika Police even had to deploy a water cannon to the location of the fire. Panic was seen in the Horison Diana Shopping Center and Hotel, which was crowded with residents at that time.
The Shops and Hotel Horison Diana immediately closed their activities and asked visitors to leave the shop immediately. Several Diana Mall employees sprayed water from the fifth floor to prevent the fire from spreading to the shops and hotels where they worked.
Meanwhile at Tjandra Medika Hospital, the hospital removed all patients and medical equipment anticipating the fire could spread to the private hospital.
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