The residents of Tripoli awoke to smoke rising in the city's sky due to a new fire that engulfed more than 15 stalls at the Tripoli Sunday Market. This marks the eighth fire to occur in the same geographical area, according to stall owners, with no decision made by the relevant official authorities to compensate them.
There were differing accounts regarding the cause of the fire. Some believed it was accidental, resulting from a young man in the market lighting wood for warmth and then leaving, which led to a fire spreading to several neighboring stalls. This reason was generally accepted by most stall owners. Meanwhile, others do not rule out the possibility that the fire was intentional, aimed at drawing attention amidst ongoing disputes among the traders.
The Sunday Market opens every weekend to visitors from the area's impoverished population and Syrian refugees, who come to purchase necessities that are cheaper than those in regular stores. However, there is a lack of oversight in every form regarding the market, especially concerning food and meat products. Another section of visitors comes to purchase old or rare items that cannot be found elsewhere, as this market is located alongside the Abu Ali River.
Civil Defense personnel arrived and worked to extinguish the flames that consumed many stalls. This market experiences significant crowds and active movement every weekend, often causing severe traffic congestion on Saturday evenings and throughout Sunday. The market is not free from instances of pickpocketing or assaults on some customers, and the fire serves as an expression of the chaos the city is experiencing on various levels.
