Powerful Baku fire destroys shopping centre

Photo: www.ona.az 

A large fire broke out in the Diqlas shopping centre on the outskirts of Baku earlier today.

Although people were evacuated from the mall, there were no victims. However, more than ten people, including rescue workers, suffered smoke inhalation and other similar injuries.

The shopping centre was located near the Eighth Bazaar, a large market famous for the fact that almost anything can be purchased there.

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The fire has almost entirely destroyed the mall.

Despite the fact that several helicopters were deployed to extinguished the fire, the flames spread to the adjoining marketplace. It took several hours to be fully extinguished.

Preliminary reports indicate that a nearby diner exploded. The resulting flames then ignited the shopping centre whose facade was lined with an easily ignitable material.

Akper Novruzov, chief of the headquarters of the fire service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, also says that the building did not comply with fire safety regulations.

Facades made of poor quality and combustible materials have lead to several other fires in Baku. The largest occurred in May 2015 in a multistory building resulting in the death of 15 people, including five children.