Central African Republic: a fire ravages part of the PK5 market in Bangui
Part of the PK5 market, the epicenter of commercial activities in the Central African capital, was ravaged by fire and the damage is estimated at several million CFA francs (illustration image) RFI / David Thomson
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
A fire ravaged during the night of Thursday to Friday February 18, 2022, part of the PK5 market, in the third arrondissement of Bangui.
This epicenter of commercial activities in the Central African capital was ravaged by fire and the damage is estimated at several million CFA francs.
Looting scenes were reported and automatic gunfire was heard nearby.
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The fire broke out around 8 p.m. in a large warehouse, and spread very quickly from business to business.
Thirty shops and many stalls were destroyed.
Central African firefighters, the Minusca civil protection service and airport security quickly deployed, but it took several hours to contain the flames.
According to the gendarmerie, some "
ill-intentioned
" people tried to loot shops,
“
under the pretext of saving certain products
”.
The security forces dispersed them in the night with sporadic gunfire.
The research and investigation section (SRI) has opened an investigation.
The mayor of Bangui, Émile Gros Raymond Nakombo, raises his voice.
According to him, “
it is the anarchic installations which are at the origin of the drama
”.
He affirms that “
some vendors set up illegally make illicit electricity connections
”.
He believes that the fire “
was caused by a short circuit
”.
This is not the first time that this type of fire has occurred at KM5.
Last August, a dozen stores were completely destroyed by fire in this same market.
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Central African Republic