MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A huge blaze has engulfed a market in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland—a self-declared republic in northern Somalia—just two years after a similar inferno devastated the expansive Waaheen market, the region’s primary commercial hub, officils said on Monday.
The fire broke out at a market adjacent to the headquarters of Somaliland’s state radio and television, destroying more than 500 small shops and causing substantial, yet undetermined, economic losses, according to Hargeisa’s deputy mayor. This marks yet another significant blow to the region’s already struggling commercial sector.
Firefighters responded swiftly, managing to contain the flames and prevent them from reaching the state broadcaster and nearby residential areas.
Government officials have warned that the market’s overcrowding presented a major fire risk, with potential catastrophic economic repercussions. Despite these warnings, authorities failed to take adequate precautions to alleviate the danger by reducing congestion and implementing safer spacing between the densely packed tin and wood structures.
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), who visited the scene, expressed his solidarity with those affected by the fire and assured them of continued government support during this time of hardship. He also called on wealthy individuals and those in a position to help to contribute to the ongoing relief efforts.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, coming just two years after the devastating Waaheen blaze that nearly wiped out Hargeisa’s largest market, an incident that had prompted a reconsideration of the market’s design, aimed at preventing such a tragedy from recurring, before it was rebuilt with funds raised across the region.
