Almaty flea market was torched with Molotoff cocktails: traders

Many of Almaty flea market traders believe that the recent fire at the flea market was not incidental, but was rather a deliberate arson, Tengrinews reports. "It was an arson. Only two or three storage containers were on fire at 6 a.m.. The firefighters said that they would take fire under control fast, and then suddenly several storage containers two rows away from the original fire flared. We all saw bottles with incendiary compound," Adilya Sydykova, one of the victims, said. "We are not asking anything from anyone, we pay our taxes. Just let us work at Kulager (a section of the flea market). Our regular clients are used to us being there, what is so bad about this flea market? So many people have lost their job now, not only Almaty residents are working here, there are people from Shymkent city and Zhambyl oblast," they said. At the briefing at the Emergency Situation Department Deputy Akim (Mayor) of Almaty city Yury Iliyn said that the authorities would be able to make a statement on the causes of the fire only after the investigation is made and the sources of inflammation are identified. "Until then no one has a right to make any official statement of the preliminary causes of the fire," he said. He called the fire victims to remain calm. He promised that all the people whose property was damaged in the fire would be offered new sales spots. He also promised to help them get a prolongation of their loans with the help of the local authorities. The Employment Administration has offered sellers to get retrained and apply for other vacant jobs in Almaty. But the sellers, damaged by the flea market fire, refused to take the new trading spots offered for their business. They are now putting together the lists of the damages they inured and are planning to submit them to the municipal authorities. According to the traders they were offered to move to Kuldjinka region, but they are afraid to lose their regular clients, because Kuldjinka is a fork uptown in the opposite side of the city and is located far in the outskirts. According to the preliminary information of the Emergency Situations Department of Almaty, nearly 31 sales spots and storage premises were damaged in Aral section and 5 sales spots and storage premises were damaged in Eurasia section. But the number of damaged sales and storage premises in Kulager section is still being calculated. Kulager section was damaged the most during the fire at the flea market. It is the second large fire that happened at the flea market in Almaty this autumn. It the recent fire on November 17 Zhana Kulager, Aral and Eurasia sections of the Almaty flea market were damaged. The fire started during the night, presumable at 3 a.m., but was stopped from spreading only hours later at 11:08 a.m. The total area of the fire made 3800 square meters. 300 firefighters and 41 fire engines were involved in the firefighting operation and emergency rescue works of the Emergency Situations Department of Almaty. A KA-32 helicopter of KazAviaSpas emergency service helped extinguish the fire during the whole day until it started getting dark. The helicopter was releasing water onto the fire area. Its made the total of 49 water discharges of 3 tons each. Another helicopter of the Almaty rescue service was also used during the fire extinguishing; it released water 17 times (3 tons each time). 30 tons of additional water was delivered in a tank train. Additional water pipelines were laid too. Vice-Minister of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan Zhanbolat Smailov personally led the alarm response team of the Ministry of Emergency Situations that worked at the Almaty flea market fire site.