Fahd Al-Manaee Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Hardly a year passes without Al-Moaisem flea market in Makkah writing its name in the Civil Defense records. The market is known for its many fires every year. The Makkawis do not give much attention to the causes of the fires but are unanimous that the market, commonly known as Haraj, poses a real threat to them. They asked concerned authorities either to relocate the market elsewhere or reconstruct it so it is fire-resistant. Tuesday witnessed the first of these deliberately started fires when a blaze broke out from a heap of debris and garbage randomly dumped in the market. Makkah Civil Defense spokesman Col. Ali Al-Muntashiri said: “Thanks to Almighty Allah there were no deaths, injuries or property damages in the fire.” He said Civil Defense teams arrived within a few minutes at the scene and were able to prevent the fire from spreading to shops. The spokesman said the area covered by the fire did not exceed 10 square meters and only burned the garbage and the debris left there by shop owners and peddlers working in some alleys in the market. Neighbors living near the traditional and old market urged authorities to put an end to the numerous fires that might one day reach their homes and threaten their lives. They said the market contains a large amount of textiles and wooden goods that might contribute to a huge tragedy if a fire breaks out in the market. According to the residents, foreigners hold a monopoly over the market and trade in various commodities that are sold at low prices.
