ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A storage depot containing industrial materials in northern Erbil caught fire early Saturday morning. The blaze was being fed by flammable goods inside the building and was brought under control hours later.
Ibrahim Khidir, the owner of the depot, told Rudaw’s Ranja Jamal that the fire was caused by an electrical fault, adding that there were no casualties.
“The material loss is estimated to be ten million dollars,” said the owner.
The building contained many flammable materials such as paint and paint thinner, and plastics, fueling the flames and adding to the damage.
The depot is located near Erbil’s northern industrial zone.
Karwan Mirawdali, spokesperson for Erbil civil defence directorate, told reporters that the fire was "very dangerous," adding that 16 of their teams fought the blaze.
He noted the fire was brought under control in three hours and the cause of the fire has yet to be identified.
There have been at least 186 fires in the last two months, Mirawdali stated.
There have been several major fires in Erbil recently.
A large fire engulfed Langa bazar late last month, allegedly caused by an electric short circuit. This was not the first time that fire had broken out in the market. There have been similar incidents in the past that have burned hundreds of shops, causing large amounts of financial damage.
At least three people, including two children, were injured when their house caught fire in Erbil’s Soran district on Tuesday, in an incident attributed to a gas leak.
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