As dawn approached, the city awoke to a harsh new skyline: charred rooftops, shattered windows, and streets still slick with water and ash. Firefighters, exhausted and soot-stained, moved methodically through the ruins, checking for lingering hotspots and any sign of missing residents. Outside hastily set-up shelters, families huddled together, scrolling through their phones, searching for familiar faces in shaky videos and live updates.

Authorities promised a full investigation into the blaze’s origin, urging patience as specialists combed through the wreckage of the first commercial building believed to be involved. Volunteers arrived with food, blankets, and spare clothes, turning school gyms into islands of fragile comfort. In the middle of shock and unanswered questions, one thing became clear: the city’s resilience would be tested not just by the fire itself, but by how it chose to rebuild, remember, and demand accoun.