Incense sticks found at hut fire scene in suspected arson case

A fire that destroyed a tin-roofed wooden hut in Coloane on Monday is being treated as suspected arson after burned incense sticks were discovered at the scene, according to the Judiciary Police (PJ).

The blaze broke out at about 1:30 p.m. at a hut in Coloane Village on Rua de São Francisco Xavier. Residents alerted authorities after noticing the fire, which fully engulfed the structure, measuring roughly five by eight meters, the Fire Services Bureau said.

Firefighters used water hoses to bring the flames under control. No injuries were reported, but 13 people from nearby areas were evacuated as a precaution. The fire also spread to the roof of an adjacent hut and damaged several nearby trees.

The Fire Services Bureau said it notified the Judiciary Police at about 5 p.m. after burned incense sticks were found at the scene, raising suspicions about the cause. Investigators believe an unattended open flame may have triggered the fire.

The bureau said residents in the area reported the fire and called emergency services, but the wooden structure was completely destroyed.

In a separate incident on Monday morning, a fire broke out in a ground-floor garbage room at Block 8 of Tong Wa San Chun on Rua Nova da Areia Preta. Firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after arrival. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.