Padang Pariaman fire series kills two, prompts police probe

Over the past week, four separate fires broke out in Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, causing at least two deaths and material losses estimated at 3.6 billion rupiah.

The fatal incident occurred in a house in Nagari Sungai Buluah Utara, where a 70‑year‑old man and his 50‑year‑old wife were found burned in the living room. Their surviving relatives have asked police to investigate alleged irregularities at the scene.

The other blazes affected a wooden market in Kayu Tanam (destroying 15 stalls), the Pondok Pesantren Bustanul Yaqin boarding school, and a motorcycle in Nagari Sintuak. Local officials, led by Satpol PP and fire chief Rifki Monrizal, have stepped up preparedness, public education and inter‑agency coordination while the exact causes remain under investigation.