A large fire consumed 27 stalls in a gallery located on Arequipa and Callao streets, in front of the Modelo market in Iquitos, in the Loreto region. According to the Civil Defense office of the Municipality of Maynas, in addition to the destroyed posts, four homes were affected.
The merchants, who had prepared merchandise for the Christmas campaign, told RPP that the fire destroyed everything they had. “We had a good amount of merchandise. “All of us vendors have prepared for Christmas,” commented one of those affected, visibly moved.
The fire spread quickly because the stands were made of wood. In addition, a motorcycle stored inside the gallery exploded, aggravating the emergency and hampering efforts to control the flames.
Local authorities continue to assess the damage and coordinate support measures for those affected. Meanwhile, affected merchants express their concern about economic losses in a key season for their income.
