Several houses burned down in one of Dili’s largest markets

Several houses and shops were burned down in a fire that broke out on Tuesday in the Taibesi market area in Dili for unknown reasons, the second incident of its kind in less than a month.

Witnesses heard by Lusa explained that the fire started early in the morning (local time) and quickly spread to several buildings, causing panic among residents and merchants.

“We don’t know how the fire started, possibly a short circuit,” a saleswoman in Taibesi, one of the two main agricultural markets in the Timor-Leste capital, told Lusa.

The fire was the second major market fire after the fire destroyed more than 50 homes and structures on December 22, leaving more than 350 people homeless.

Poor construction conditions, proximity to retail outlets and residential buildings contribute to the rapid spread of fires in the markets.