Fire Causes $1.5 Million Losses to Business Owners in Kabul

Business owners lost more than $1.5 million after fire broke out in eleven stores in Taimor Shahee area of Kabul late on Tuesday.

Immediately the main cause of the fire was unknown.

However, the owners of the stores expressed their concerns regarding the repetition of such incidents.

“The government is not cooperating with us. This is not the first time. We all know that at least a market burns every month,” said Najibullah, a shopkeeper in the area.

“We lost around $2.5 thousand as a result of the fire,” said Hashmatullah, another shopkeeper.

Meanwhile, Khan Jaan Alokozai, a member of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) called on the government to support the owners of these stores.

“Unfortunately, once they lost their capital, there is no guarantee to support them in any form such as loans,” Mr. Alokozai said.

On the other hand, Shabeer Bashiri, an economic expert blamed the private sector for their failure to consider business standards while keeping their materials in storage.

Last year, several huge markets caught in fire in the center of the city where more than a thousand shops were destroyed.