A fire has ravaged the Bazar Kely market in Toamasina. The disaster claimed one life and caused significant material damage. Traders are sifting through smoking ruins after the market fire.
A human tragedy unfolded when a man lost his life in the fire that devastated Bazar Kely market in Toamasina. His body, discovered early yesterday morning among the debris, was completely charred, making identification impossible.
The fire broke out the previous evening around 10:40 p.m. and engulfed the market for several hours before being brought under control around 5:30 a.m.
At daybreak, Bazar Kely had become a field of desolation. Rows of kiosks had vanished, replaced by twisted metal frames and charred wooden structures. Merchandise once piled on stalls was reduced to ash and dust. The air remained heavy, thick with acrid smoke, while the ground was littered with still-warm debris, according to an eyewitness account.
Firefighters, supported by law enforcement and residents, fought the blaze relentlessly. Some locals brought water to help contain the fire, but the intense heat and density of the stalls made the operation particularly challenging.
According to initial estimates, nearly 90% of the market was destroyed and over 3,000 kiosks were consumed by flames. Material losses are valued at several hundred million ariary. Traders, already devastated by Cyclone Gezani, have seen their livelihoods destroyed once again. At dawn, victims gathered among the ruins attempting to salvage what they could, under the watchful eye of firefighters still present.
Local authorities visited the site to support victims and announced an investigation to determine the fire's origin. Some suggest it started from cooking beef feet soup, but only the investigation will confirm or refute this hypothesis.
Bazar Kely has been ravaged by fire three or four times before, without lasting preventive measures being implemented. Residents are demanding the creation of access roads for firefighters and installation of additional fire hydrants to prevent such tragedies from recurring.