Around 300 shops,including a number of rice stalls, were destroyed by the fire in Ponna Kyuntcity market which was engulfed by the shelling of the Burmese navy personnel.

The common Rakhine public denounced the incidentsaying that the navy people intentionally did it to create food shortages inRakhine State.

The military council has already closed all the majorroads and waterways in Rakhine State and hence it becomes difficult to bringany product from Burma proper. 

"Everyone suspects that the navy personneldeliberately fired the shells. The concerned market has a big reserve of fooditems. Stores around the ancient port road and on east side of Aye Zaydi pagodacaught fire as a result of the shell explosion,” said a local resident.

The market also comprised shops of beauty products,consumer goods, electronic items, clothes, shoes, groceries, etc and most ofthe shops were burned down.

"The old market area faced more damage. However,the vegetable shops were safe," added the resident.

The total value of damages is yet to be estimated,said a ward head of Ponna Kyunt locality.

 "Butsome said it will be worth Kyat 1,000,000,” he added while talking to NarinjaraNews.

The market caught fire at around 2:30 pm on Friday asa heavy shell, fired by the navy personnel, exploded inside it.

A food stall owner in the market informed NarinjaraNews that he had to lose hundreds of thousands of Kyats in the fire.

"I have lost about  Kyats 10,00,000 as damages.There is nothing left for me. Everything turns into ashes,” he lamented.

Since 13 November as the gun fighting broke out inRakhine State, most of the markets remained closed. Some were open for a fewhours only, said a shop owner.

“I had two stalls ofvarious goods. My damage will be aroundKyats 2500lakh. I do not know how I will start my business again,” he added.

Regarding the matter, the State fire department and Ponna Kyunt township fire officerswere contacted, but no details were made available.

The fire was finally put out by the township firefighters with the help from local residents. General Zaw Min Tun, head of themilitary council's information bureau presented a false report through themilitary-run television channels last night that the market fire was anaccidental one.