Fire razes Atambua market

Fire razes Atambua market

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The fire that gutted Atambua market on Friday destroyed most of its basic supplies and wares, leaving East Timorese in Belu camps short of food.

By Saturday morning, smoke was still billowing from the market known to locals as a cheap place to buy daily necessities.

Belu police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Nender Yani said that his officers had sealed off the market area since the fire broke out, and were still investigating the incident.

He explained that they had no knowledge on the cause of the fire, adding that locals, together with the police and military personnel, were working together to remove debris.

A clothes vendor named Mastang said in a distraught tone that all his wares, worth at least Rp 20 million and bought on credit, was gone. "I will leave every thing to God; but I deny any charges that the fire came from my kiosk."--Antara