Tripoli, March 23: A huge fire destroyed a wholesellers’ market in south Tripoli’s Crimea district today. Fire-fighting vehicles rushed to the scene but were unable to control the fire before it engulfed the whole site. There were no reported casualties.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
Two weeks ago, a massive fire gutted Benghazi’s carpet and furniture market, known as the Egyptian Market. One man, an Egyptian worker, died in the conflagration. Initially it was reported that the fire, which broke out in a carpet shop and then quickly spread destroying most of the shops in the market, had been caused by an electrical short circuit. However, it has since been suggested that it was a case of arson.
There were a number of attempted fires in Benghazi at the time, said to be carried out by angry opponents of the Cyrenaica Transitional Council set up by federalist supporters.
The cost of the Benghazi fire has been put at LD 50 million.
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