UAE: Shops gutted in huge Sharjah market fire

• Civil Defence contained the fire in nearly five hours, preventing it from spreading to nearby shops in the area.

A major fire broke out in Al Ghuwair market, earlier on Saturday, gutting five or more shops. No causalities have been reported but the damage to property is considered to be huge.

The shops, mostly run by Asian traders from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, contained several types of goods such as clothes, textile and shoes which were completely destroyed. The market in the heart of Sharjah city is one of the busiest.

Official at Sharjah civil defense said that they received a call about the fire at 6am, after which teams from various stations in the city were dispatched and contained the fire in nearly five hours, preventing it from spreading to nearby shops in the area.

The police had evacuated the market for the safety of shoppers and shopkeepers, and cordoned off the area to facilitate the work of the fire fighters.

A cooling operation was conducted after controlling the fire, after which the site was referred to fire experts to determine its causes.

"We cannot open the shops as the market is now in a total mess. Five shops have lost everything and other stocks have also been damaged," a shop keeper said.


afkarali@khaleejtimes.com