Saturday November 18, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - The mayor of Mogadishu and the governor of Banaadir region, Yusuf Hussein Jim'ale, stated that power companies will be held accountable after a fire caused by electricity engulfed Hamarweyne market in Mogadishu on Friday night.
The fire, which took many hours to extinguish, started in the Marwaz Mosque section and later spread to other parts, including the Gold and meat sections. Over a hundred shops and retail departments were burnt, with no reported human casualties.
Bukhari, the owner of Xul Style shop, told local media that he lost about $50,000 in the fire. "Most people know Xul Style. We used to sell all kinds of women's clothes. We haven't a single item from the store," he added.
Speaking at the market, the mayor pledged that a committee would be assigned to investigate and assess the massive casualties of the fire.
He extended condolences to the businesses that lost their property in the fire. "We want the power company to reflect on themselves; from now on, they will be held accountable. They must play their part in the losses caused by the fire," he added.
The massive fire in the market occurred as another fire engulfed several houses in Mogadishu's Deynile district on the same night, the cause of which is unclear. The mayor also thanked the firefighting companies for simultaneously extinguishing both fires in the capital.