EurasiaNet.org reports a raging fire consumed the Korvon Bazaar, Dushanbe’ biggest wholesale market, destroying dozens of stores and leaving around 200 people without a livelihood.
The police say the blaze that spread over an area of 480 square meters was likely caused by a short circuit.
After the fire, a group of traders decided to make a direct personal appeal to the mayor of Dushanbe, Rustam Emomali, who is also the eldest son of the president. The traders were ushered into a meeting with Emomali.
As Khovar state-run news agency reported, Emomali gave instructions for the affected traders to be exempted from rent and other fees for a two-year period. The mayor also ordered that Korvon bazaar be rebuilt and installed with modern fire detection equipment.
With this rapid reaction, Emomali has reportedly managed to transform a potential public relations disaster into a win, judging by the overwhelmingly positive reaction on social media.
Tajik bazaars are notoriously susceptible to going up in flames. Korvon alone has caught fire on six occasions since 2002. The largest fire ever to hit Korvon took place in September 2012. Law enforcement agencies claimed at the time that the incident was the result of arson. Video footage showed a woman pouring gasoline on the premises and then lighting a match, but the culprit was never found.
As Sputnik-Tajikistan has reported, in acknowledgement of the fire hazard, bazaar managers decided to create a dedicated fire department for Korvon. The fire station was equipped with two trucks and an automatic water supply system was installed to help respond to any outbreaks. In addition, more than 300 close-circuit cameras were put in place and a staff of 100 safety workers monitored the bazaar over four shifts.
And even that, remarkably, was not enough.
