Café fire guts North Darfur market

Several shops, cafés, restaurants, and a car repair garage were destroyed in an extensive fire that swept through El Malha market in North Darfur on Sunday.

The Executive Director of the locality, Idris Mohamed said that the fire broke out in one of the cafes, and strong winds cause the fire to spread quickly. Three vehicles were also burned-out during the blaze.

The director said that the locality will liaise with organisations and charitable bodies to assist those effected. He also pledged that the locality will take precautionary measures and strive to build and organise the market with fixed materials, to avoid recurring fire accidents.

The almost universal use of cooking gas and open fires present a constant danger in Darfur. Eight people including two children were injured in a fire at the Shelter Centre for the Displaced in El Zahraa School in El Geneina, capital of West Darfur on March 30. This latest fire follows one at the same shelter centre on March 19, that left a child dead, dozens of people with burns, along with massive material loss including livestock.