TEGUCIGALPA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A fire destroyed Thursday the Colon Market, one of the oldest and well known markets in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras.

    Firefighter spokesman Oscar Triminio said that 18 trucks and 250 firefighters were sent to market to fight the fire.

    The fire erupted at 5:30 a.m. (1130 GMT) in the center of the market, and the roof and some classrooms from Hibueras education center were damaged.

    "We are broken, everything was burnt," cloth seller Oscar Garcia told local media. The police and soldiers arrived at the place to avoid plunder in stores and the nearby shops.

    Tegucigalpa Mayor Ricardo Alvarez summoned the owner of the affected stores and the authorities from the mayoralty to determine the losses and begin the renovation works.

    "We are going to ask aid from the national government and the Congress because this is not about political issues, but to help those who lose everything," Alvarez said.

    According to the firefighters, it was one of the most intensive fires registered in the last 10 years in the country.

    The causes of the fire were unknown at the moment.