Fire Destroys 135 Shops in Northern Afghanistan’s Mazar-i-Sharif, Causing Millions in Losses

Fire Destroys 135 Shops in Northern Afghanistan’s Mazar-i-Sharif, Causing Millions in Losses
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A major fire swept through the Bakhtar Bazaar in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Afghanistan’s Balkh province, destroying 135 shops and injuring at least three people. The financial losses are estimated at millions of dollars, although the final damage assessment has not yet been announced.

According to local Afghan media, citing the Taliban security command in Balkh, the fire broke out in the market within the city’s Fifth Security District. Preliminary investigations indicate that an electrical short circuit caused the blaze. The authorities said substandard construction and a lack of fire prevention and firefighting equipment contributed to its rapid spread.

Bakhtar Bazaar is located underground beneath a public road. The fire reportedly caused cracks to appear on the road’s surface, raising concerns about possible structural damage. Authorities subsequently closed the road to vehicles and pedestrians as a precautionary measure.

At least three people were reported injured, but further details about their condition were not immediately available. The authorities have also yet to disclose the full value of the losses or provide details of the goods and property destroyed.