Almaty Mayor offers deferred loans and new places to flea market traders

Akim (Mayor) of Almaty Akhmetzhan Yessimov has instructed the municipal authorities to set up a market outlet for the traders whose goods иurned down in the massive fire at Almaty’s largest flea market, Tengrinews reports citing the press service of the municipal authorities. He also instructed the authorities to enter into discussions with Kazakhstan banks to negotiate deferred terms of repayment of loans for the traders. The meeting of the municipal authorities led by Yessimov was held yesterday in relation to the fire at the flea market on September 13 and 14. 309 boutiques burned down in the fire in four sections of the flea market – Olzha, Ayan, Kermet and Alatau. According to the city administration the flea market has been operating illegally. In 2012 an Almaty court issued a ruling terminating the operations of the markets. Insufficient fire safety was one of the reasons for the closure. However, the authorities were not applying much pressure on the markets’ administrations, the administrations didn’t was to give up their profits and none of the traders were eager to move their trading spots elsewhere. So, the market was still there in 2013 even after the court ruling. Police has initiated two criminal cases in relation to the fire: one case over the fire itself and one case against of administrations of the markets that were damaged by the fire. The fire started at 1:33 p.m. on September 13 in Olzha section of the largest flea market of Almaty. Later the fire spilled into Ayan section and partially into Keremet and Alatau sections. The fire was taken under control and stopped from spreading at 7:59 p.m. the same day and completely extinguished only in the morning of the following day at 6:38 a.m. A total of 1518 firefighters, 142 fire engines and 2 helicopters were involved in the massive firefighting operation.