Massive Fire Destroys Sibolga Nauli Market, Traders Await Government Assistance

A massive fire destroyed Pasar Sibolga Nauli in Sibolga City, North Sumatra, on Saturday evening (11/7). The blaze, which broke out around 9.30 p.m. local time, rapidly intensified, engulfing numerous kiosks and forcing traders to flee while attempting to salvage whatever goods they could. By the early hours of Sunday (12/7), firefighters were still battling to contain the flames that continued to burn in several spots. Thick smoke billowed from the charred remains of the buildings, with embers occasionally visible among the debris. Head of the Fire Department at the Sibolga Civil Service Police Unit, Hendra Tobing, stated on Sunday that the fire report was received on Saturday at 9.34 p.m. Since then, all personnel have been deployed to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjacent structures. At least five fire engines from the Sibolga City Government were deployed to the scene, supported by two units from the Central Tapanuli Regency Government, one unit from Mujur Timber, two water supply trucks from the Sibolga Regional Water Company, and three fire engines from the Forestry and Environment Service. As of the time of reporting, there have been no reports of casualties. However, the number of kiosks destroyed and the total financial loss cannot yet be confirmed as data collection is still underway. The cause of the fire is also still under investigation by the authorities. Sibolga Mayor Akhmad Syukri Nazry Penarik, who inspected the site, said the government is still prioritising the extinguishing process before taking further steps. ‘We will conduct an assessment after the extinguishing process is complete,’ he said. Observations at the location showed a sombre atmosphere enveloping the market area. Smoke was still rising from the buildings that had been reduced to rubble, while traders could only stand and watch their kiosks levelled to the ground. Some appeared to be trying to search for any remaining goods that could be salvaged, while others hoped the government would soon provide a solution so that their economic activities could resume. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the cause of the fire while also recording the number of affected kiosks and the value of losses resulting from the disaster.