Hargeisa Mayor says market fire caused billions in damages

A commission tasked by Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi was sent to Hargeisa on Saturday to assess the total property loss in the fire that has destroyed much of the Waheen and to lead efforts to rebuild the market. The group told the media that a preliminary assessment is that the fire caused billions of dollars in damages.

“According to preliminary data, the damage and damage caused by the disaster here are estimated to be between one and a half and two billion,” said Hargeisa Mayor Abdikarin Ahmed Mooge.

Officials said that over two dozen were people in the fire, but nobody lost their life.

“This place was the economic center of Hargeisa, and even though the firefighters did their best to contain the fire, the market is destroyed,” he added.

Mooge, a committee member,  said a fundraiser would be held for those whose property was destroyed in the blaze that lasted nearly 30 hours. 

The committee said firefighters extinguished the fire last night but are still patrolling the area for fear of another explosion.