MIA: Fire at Varketili Market Extinguished, No Fatalities

The fire that caught on the territory of Varketili Market in Tbilisi last night has been extinguished with the active participation of up to 130 firefighters and rescuers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia reports. 

15 fire-fighting and rescue brigades worked on the scene during the night to extinguish the blaze. 

As a result of the incident, up to 4000m2 of storage area burnt to the ground.

No one was injured in the blaze. 

The reason for the fire is unknown.

"The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation into the incident under Article 187, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which stipulates damaging or destroying an item by setting it on fire,” the MIA said in a statement.

Full financial damages have yet to be estimated. It is expected that the state will financially assist traders employed at the Varketili Market to compensate for the loss.

By Ana Dumbadze 

Related Story: Fire Breaks Out at the Varketili Market in Tbilisi