MOGADISHU, Somalia – A massive fire engulfed Mogadishu’s second main market on Friday night, causing the loss of a large sum of money and property.
According to eyewitnesses, who spoke to Shabelle TV on the scene, the blaze started in the Marwas Mosque and later spread to other parts of the Gold Market and the Meat sections.
Firefighters from the Banadir region administration and private companies extinguished the fire, which forced hundreds of people to flee the market.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, but market traders blamed an electrical fault.
Banadir police officers patrolled the market to prevent looting on Friday night, which occurs at any time of such incidents in the markets.
The local traders in Hamarweyne district said many businesses were destroyed and there was significant property damage due to the fire, which sent plumes of smoke into the air.
Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital has a small fire brigade that must respond to numerous fires in the city, which is recovering from decades of war.
