Over 100 shops affected
Shopkeepers assess damage in Erbil’s Langa Market fire
ERBIL — Shopkeepers returned to the scene of a massive fire that ripped through Erbil’s Langa Market on Tuesday night, causing extensive damage to more than 100 shops, according to the local civil defense.
The blaze, which ignited around 7:30 p.m. local time, took firefighters nearly three hours to extinguish. The cause and full extent of the fire remains under investigation with initial reports suggesting faulty electrical wiring was to blame. Strong winds further complicated firefighters’ efforts to control the fire.
Shopkeepers returned to the market on Wednesday, many of them visibly distraught over the loss of their businesses and merchandise. Several business owners told 964media that a precise estimate of losses would require time and a detailed inventory of lost and salvageable goods.
One shopkeeper, who has been operating in the market since 2012, said his losses amounted to several hundred thousand dollars. “I just received new stock worth about $200,000, mainly mobile phones and accessories,” he said, adding that he, his brother, and another relative all had shops that were gutted by the fire.
Lamenting what he called the “complete loss” of his inventory, the man suggested that some items might have been stolen amidst the chaos. Another shopkeeper, a watch seller operating in Langa for the past decade, estimated his losses were nearly $30,000 and that looters may have taken advantage of the fire. “We managed to salvage what we could, but the rest was either destroyed by the fire or looted,” he said. “It seems some people took advantage of the situation to steal.”
Shopkeepers further expressed frustration at what they called a lack of concern from authorities. “The shopkeepers haven’t even received compensation for previous incidents, and now, we are faced with this disaster,” the watch seller continued. “The fire [extinguishing] system failed, and the market’s security was lax. If the fire extinguishing system had worked, the damages wouldn’t have been this severe.”
Yasin Khidr from the Langa Market Council, highlighted the lack of an operational fire suppression system in the market, a critical safety measure promised by the government but reportedly never implemented. Additionally, the market’s surveillance and security system, once managed by a private company, had faced obstacles from individuals preventing its operation, he alleged.
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw visited Langa after the fire and announced an investigation was underway to determine the cause and extent of the blaze, promising that idividuals or parties found to be complicit would face severe consequences.
Khoshnaw disclosed that in addition to material damage and losses, over 20 individuals were transported to area hospitals due to injuries, many of them members of the civil defense teams who responded to the fire.
Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reportedly issued a directive for a comprehensive investigation into the fire. A statement from Khoshnaw’s office said Barzani spoke to the governor via phone call and further directed government agencies to provide necessary support to victims. Barzani is in the United States on an official visit this week.
Tuesday’s fire was the latest disaster to hit Langa Market, which has seen several fires over the years, the most severe in October 2018, when close to 1,200 shops reportedly were destroyed.