ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A massive fire broke out in Erbil’s historic Grand Bazaar, one of the city’s oldest markets, on Sunday night. Civil defense teams swiftly responded to the scene to combat the blaze.

As flames ravaged through the market, some goldsmiths at Erbil's Grand Bazaar hurriedly relocated their valuable merchandise in bags and cases to secure locations, fearing the fire's spread.

In the midst of the chaos, authorities apprehended four individuals on charges of looting shops during the fire outbreak, exacerbating the situation.

After a grueling battle lasting over three hours, the civil defense teams managed to bring the fire at the Grand Bazaar under control. However, the extent of the damage to this historic landmark remains to be assessed, but nearly 370 shops, mostly textile shops, were burned down in the fire, according to Mayor Nabaz AbdulHamid.

The fire started at around 9:35 pm and was brought under control around three hours later, according to the governor of Erbil. 

The cause of the fire remains unknown, prompting the formation of an investigation committee tasked with identifying both the cause and the extent of the damages incurred by the fire.

“I spoke with Omed Khoshnaw, the governor of Erbil, and he assured me that the firefighting teams are exerting all efforts to control the fire at Erbil’s Grand Bazaar,” Kurdistan Region’s Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said in a tweet on Sunday, “We will continue to monitor the situation and commend the first responders for their bravery,” he added.

Fires across the Kurdistan Region have persistently posed unresolved challenges. In April, the renowned Langa bazaar (thrift market) in Erbil succumbed to flames, and a similar incident occurred in late February at the same market.

In Erbil, the Directorate of Civil Defense reported 1,711 fire incidents within the provincial boundaries last year. These included 298 residential fires, one incident at a fuel station, 19 building fires, 12 oven fires, 266 vehicle fires, nine blazes in government facilities, two fires at religious sites, 37 generator-related fires, 91 fires in commercial establishments, 143 farm fires, 14 factory fires, and various other incidents.

In a statement, the Directorate also highlighted that the monetary losses resulting from these incidents surpassed 1.5 billion Iraqi dinars. They emphasized that “40 percent of these incidents were attributed to electrical faults, with an additional 15 fatalities and 84 injuries reported as a result of the fires."

The Bazaar and Citadel sit in downtown Erbil. The Citadel is, as of 2014, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At over 7000 years of age, the Citadel is one of the oldest continuously occupied human settlements. The Bazaar has been recently reconstructed using traditional architecture.