A fire outbreak at Pann Myaung Village, Minbya Township, on Sunday resulted in financial losses of K84 million and left dozens of people homeless, according to Rakhine Daily, an Arakan State-based and junta-linked media outlet. Local residents say the actual losses are much higher.

 

The fire was caused by an electrical fault, and the blaze lasted more than two hours, from 1 a.m. until past 3 a.m., said a resident.

 

Fourteen houses and 21 shops were burnt in the fire, reported Rakhine Daily.

 

Pann Myaung administrator U Tin Aung Kyaw said: “When authorities made the list of damages, they did not count shophouses as shops, but only as houses. But we counted them separately and according to our list, 14 houses and 29 shops were damaged.”

 

It is difficult to estimate the financial loss, said the administrator.

 

“Our loss is huge as we sell phone handsets and electrical appliances,” said Ko Zaw Gyi, who lost both his house and shop. “We lost more than K70 million, including our possessions and merchandise. It is our 15 years’ savings.”

 

Fifty-seven people who have lost their houses in the fire are staying at their relatives’ homes. The regime’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement on Monday provided them K2,100 per day for a week.

 

Ministry officials also gave K200,000 each for brick and wooden houses, and K100,000 each for thatched bamboo houses for 14 houses burnt in the fire, reported Rakhine Daily.

 

Authorities have opened a case against a villager for negligence related to the cause of the fire, reported Rakhine Daily.