Fire contained at second-hand clothing building in Baghdad

BAGHDAD — Civil Defense teams said Tuesday they had fully contained a fire that broke out in a two-story commercial building used to store and sell second-hand clothing in the Bab Al-Darwaza market in Baghdad’s Kadhimiya district.

In a statement, the Civil Defense Directorate said firefighters “completely controlled a large fire that broke out inside a two-story commercial building used as shops and storage for second-hand clothing, in the alleys of Bab Al-Darwaza market.”

The operation was hampered by blocked access routes, the result of street vendors operating in the area. “Fire hoses were extended over long distances,” the statement said, allowing teams to enter the structure and bring the fire under control. No injuries were reported.

The directorate said all available resources were mobilized to isolate the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings.

Several safety violations were noted at the scene, including the absence of mandatory fire protection equipment and the use of flammable sandwich panels that “contradict approved safety standards,” the directorate said. A forensic expert has been assigned to determine the cause of the fire.