Initial reports from local media and firefighters put the scale of the damage at anywhere from several dozen to more than 100 homes affected, while hundreds of residents have been left without shelter. Authorities report the fire has been confined, though many families remain displaced and in urgent need of aid.
Firefighters said the flames spread rapidly because many houses are built from highly flammable materials and are tightly packed together. Officials also indicated the blaze appeared to have reached a clandestine pyrotechnics
(fireworks) workshop in the sector, which may have worsened the fire and produced small explosions captured in citizen videos. Investigators are treating that location as a likely origin while the cause is formally determined. READ MORE BELOW
