ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A large fire broke out at a local bazaar in the center of Iraq’s capital Baghdad on Monday, burning dozens of storage units containing vehicle spare parts.
The fire in Baghdad’s Sinak bazaar has incinerated more than 15 storage units containing automobile spare parts, Rudaw has learned.
Firefighting teams were on the scene scrambling to bring the flames under control due to the bazaar containing highly flammable material. It was brought under control several hours later.
No casualties have been reported.
It is the latest amid an increase of high profile fires in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
Fires are a perennial concern in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region where safety standards are often lacking. They are especially frequent in the summertime, with the scorching summer heat increasing the risk of fires.
Aging infrastructure, overcrowding, electrical faults and a lack of basic safety standards are major underlying factors.
The Iraqi parliament’s security and defense committee on Saturday called on Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari to launch an investigation into the recent fires and report the findings within 15 days.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani last week directed security forces to complete investigations into the recent fires and urged them to take all necessary measures to prevent such occurrences.
Earlier this month, four foreign workers were killed when a warehouse, built with illegal, highly flammable material caught fire in Baghdad.
Under Iraqi law, the use of sandwich panel cladding in buildings is prohibited. They have been blamed for several disastrous fires. In September 2023, over 100 people lost their lives at a wedding in Nineveh province's Hamdaniya, when fire engulfed a banquet hall. Sandwich panels had been used in the building’s construction.
More than 20,000 fires were recorded in Iraq in 2023 and 32,000 in 2022, according to data from Iraq’s civil defense.
Updated at 5:01 pm
