Heart of Manama Broken

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by Ashen Tharaka

A fire tore through the Manama Souq, the heart of Bahrain’s capital city, yesterday evening, causing significant damage and resulting in one death. Nine people were injured in the blaze, which erupted in a building within the Souq and quickly spread to nearby shops.

According to officials, over 25 shops were completely destroyed. An eyewitness reported to The Daily Tribune that one person was trapped inside the apartment when firefighters arrived. Thankfully, they were rescued from the rooftop.

“We came back to our shops after lunch break,” said shopkeeper Abdul Saleem, “and all the shops in front of mine were on fire. I was speechless.” Shopkeepers attempted to salvage what they could during the fire, while civil defense swiftly evacuated everyone from the area within minutes.

Most of the affected shops reportedly sold shoes and clothing. Another witness recounted the fire’s rapid spread: “The first flames appeared in a shop on Abdullah Street, behind the Jalabiya shops.

It reached my clothes shop within minutes.”

Immediate Response

Bahrain’s Civil defense force responded swiftly, arriving at the scene within five minutes of receiving the call. A total of 16 fire trucks and 33 officers battled the blaze, taking over eight hours to bring it under control.

“We responded immediately,” said Brigadier General Ali Mohammed Jassim Al Kubaisi, Director General of the General Directorate of Civil Defence.

“We managed to bring more fire engines and control the fire. We rescued people from the scene and sent them to Salmaniya Hospital for treatment.”

Rashid bin Abdulrahman bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Governor of Capital Governorate, arrived at the scene around 8:30 pm to investigate and speak with affected shopkeepers.

Several roads within the Souq were temporarily closed due to the incident, and shop owners were evacuated for safety reasons.

Devastating Losses

The fire caused significant devastation, leaving many shopkeepers with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

One injured person, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Daily Tribune, “I lost everything: clothes, documents... I don’t know what to do now.”

In cooperation with the concerned government authorities, Capital Governorate continues inspections that target shops in the souq to ensure that they meet security and safety standards to limit fire cases and protect lives and property to provide a safe environment.