A thick haze of smoke and sorrow hung over Suuq Bacaad this morning as traders and residents flocked back to assess the aftermath of a massive fire that tore through one of Mogadishu’s largest markets.
The fire, which broke out around 5:00 PM yesterday in the heart of Yaqshid District, raged for several hours before being brought under control late into the night. Despite the valiant efforts of firefighters and local volunteers, the flames claimed the life of a young girl and destroyed large sections of the market, including its entire household goods section.
Although an exact estimate of financial losses has yet to be released, early reports suggest widespread destruction of goods and properties, with many traders left with nothing but charred remains.
“It was chaos… the fire spread so fast. We couldn’t save anything,” one shop owner told local media, standing in front of the blackened skeleton of what used to be his storefront.
As the sun rose over the ashes of Suuq Bacaad this morning, the market was crowded–not with buyers, but with devastated traders and curious residents, all trying to make sense of the loss. Some wept. Others took inventory of what little remained. Many simply stood in silence, staring at the ruins.
Officials from the Banadir regional administration visited the site early today but have yet to make a public statement on compensation, rebuilding plans, or an investigation into the fire’s cause.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, poor infrastructure, flammable materials, and lack of fire safety systems are being cited as likely contributors to how rapidly the blaze spread.
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Traders and residents are demanding answers–and action.
“This isn’t the first time Suuq Bacaad has caught fire, and every time it’s the same: no preparedness, no support, no justice,” said one elder trader.
The tragedy has once again sparked debate over the urgent need for market safety reforms in Somalia’s capital, where open-air markets remain the backbone of the economy but suffer from chronic neglect, lack of regulation, and insufficient emergency response systems.
The focus now turns to recovery and rebuilding. For the traders who lost everything, it’s not just about burned goods–it’s about livelihoods destroyed overnight.
Community members are calling for immediate government intervention, emergency relief, and long-term fire prevention measures to ensure that Suuq Bacaad–and markets like it–don’t fall victim to preventable tragedy again.
For now, Suuq Bacaad smolders not just with ash, but with heartbreak–and a lingering question: how many more fires before change finally comes?
