A massive fire broke out in Chale bazaar in Duhok city during the early hours of Monday, causing extensive damage to dozens of shops.
According to a Channel8 reporter in Duhok, the fire originated in the second-hand clothes bazaar, and over 300 shops have been engulfed by the flames.
Shop owners hurried to the market to take out goods from their shops, resulting in suffering from asthma exacerbations and deteriorating health.
The fire no longer poses a threat of reaching the LPG tanks installed on the second, third, and fourth floors of the bazaar.
The Kurdistan Region General Directorate of Civil Defense issued a statement indicating that the fire had caused extensive damage on over 100 shops.
It said that 30 civil defense teams from 11 bases took part in extinguishing the fire, successfully bringing it under control in nearly 3 hours.
There were no casualties; only 8 citizens and 3 employees were taken to the hospital and are presently in good health, it added.
