Sittwe man injured when roadside petrol stands catch fire

By Admin 04 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
4 March 2023, Sittwe

One man was injured in a fire outbreak at a row of roadside petrol sellers outside the No. 12 Police Battalion in the Arakan State capital Sittwe on Saturday.

The 30-year-man who worked at one of the roadside petrol stalls in Setyonesu Ward suffered minor burns to his hands and legs, and was sent to Sittwe Hospital, said Ko Aung Kyaw Phyo from local charity Shwe Yaung Metta Foundation.

“He only got minor injuries. He is in hospital now. He was pouring fuel from one bottle to another when a piece of tinder from a fire on the bank of Kandawgyi Lake hit the bottles. The petrol stall was also burnt,” he said.

Over the past two months, four people have died and two others were injured in fire outbreaks in Arakan State. One died each in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Minbya and Sittwe, and one was injured each in Mrauk-U and Sittwe, according to the fire services department.

“People should exercise caution as it is the hot season now. They must exercise caution to avoid fires caused by negligence and electrical short circuits. They must also be careful when they burn garbage,” Ko Aung Kyaw Phyo said.

Sittwe resident Ko Oo Than Naing said: “The fire services department must do more to educate people about fire risk. So should civil society organisations and nongovernmental organisations. And municipalities and police must also enforce regulations to systematise roadside stalls.”

Arakan State has seen 27 fire outbreaks since January, in which 38 houses were burnt. Arakan State saw a total of 73 fire outbreaks in 2022, with financial losses totalling over 136 million kyats, according to the state fire services department.