At least six people were killed during a spate of violence between looters and traders after a fire gutted Somalia's largest market. Property worth millions of dollars was destroyed during the fire that swept through Bakara market in Mogadishu.
| Dan's joshing us -- there isn't anything worth millions of dollars in Somalia. |
A BBC correspondent says some of those killed were traders who were shot by armed groups trying to loot goods from the remaining stalls. There are conflicting reports about the cause of the fire. The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says the looting was committed by gangs and armed militias who mobbed the market as soon as the fire broke out. The fire mostly affected the area devoted to clothes stalls but no-one was injured as the market was closed at the time.
| "Jeepers! The whole Goodwill stall went up in flames!" |
Few efforts were made to put out the fire as there is a lack of fire extinguishers in the city.
| Was there a lack of water? |
| Perhaps they were concerned that some of the imported clothing could explode? |
Stall owner Abdi Kariin Fodare said the fire spread quickly due to the large number of tightly packed corrugated iron kiosks which it contains. Mr Fodare criticised the Transitional National Government (TNG) for neglecting its security role under such circumstances. Two years ago, a similar fire destroyed businesses and goods in the market. The TNG says it warned traders then to change the layout of their stalls to avoid a repeat disaster.
| "We told them, 'don't put the clothes hangers above the charcoal braziers. But do they listen? No-o-o-o-o-o-o!" |
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