Fire destroys huge Honduras marketplace

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COMAYAGUELA, Honduras, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Fire destroyed thousands of stalls in open-air markets in Comayaguela, Honduras, authorities said.

About a dozen people were injured and damage was estimated at $7.9 million, the Honduras Weekly reported Sunday.

Authorities said they believed about 20,000 marketplace tenants were affected, the report said.

Comayaguela is about 50 miles from the capital of Tegucigalpa.

Authorities said the fire started Saturday and took at least 5 hours to extinguish, La Prensa reported.

"It was a matter of seconds [and] the fire … was here," one merchant said. "We ran and left everything … ."

Firefighters still were dousing hotspots Monday.

"Here we will be until this is over," one firefighter said.

International Investigators, including three Americans, were collecting samples, taking photographs and recording witness statements, local officials said.