Approximately 124 homes were destroyed by a large fire in Zin Kyaik Village, Paung Township, Mon State, on December 25, according to sources from Mon State.

Speaking to Kaowao by phone from Mon State, an official from the Burmese government in Paung Township said, “About 993 people became homeless, and the value of the houses that were destroyed is over 90 million kyat.”

The fire started around 11 pm from an electrical problem inside a house in the village, said the official.

Zin Kyaik Village (Photo:http://ourzingyaik.blogspot.com)

“I went there to have a look this morning [December 26]. Most houses were nice houses that were burned down. The firefighters could not put out the fire as there was a lot wind,” said the source.

The location of the home where the fire started was east of the railway. Ten homes burned very quickly, then the fire moved to the west of the railway and destroyed the houses that reside along the railway, according to residents.

About ten firefighting trucks from Zin Kyaik, Paung, Thaton, Mottama, and Moulmein came to stop the fire, which was finally put out on December 26 around 6 am.

The Burmese authorities have created temporary camps for the victims who lost their homes, and the authorities have also provided food and clothing.

Zin Kyaik Village is 255 miles from Rangoon and 24 miles from Moulmein. The village contains about 3,000 houses in all.

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