Almotamar.net - Yemeni authorities controlled a fire which ravaged tens of stores at the central market in Taiz governorate on Friday.

They found a badly burned and charred body and rushed to hospital 20 people who suffered from smoke inhalation, according to civil defense and local officials.
Secretary General of the provincial local council Mohammed Al-Haj said the fire broke out in the ground floor of the market and ravaged all stores in it.

"The local government formed a committee to evaluate losses and damages and formed another committee from the provincial commerce and industry chamber and private sector to start fundraising to help the effected from the fire," he told Saba.

The fire broke out at dawn and continued till after the Friday's prayer, owner of the market Ali Al-Zaghrori said, without giving information about the cause of the fire.

"Around 44 stores and 56 vendor properties were affected and the first estimates of the losses were at around 200 million Yemeni Rials," Al-Zaghrori said. "Owing to the dangerous situation at the market for now, we will start assessing losses on Saturday," he said, while pointing out that the authorities are continuing the efforts to secure the place and prevent the fire from spreading to more floors.

The central market in downtown Taiz has six floors containing stores trading in clothes and house, electric and plastic products