A fire broke out in a market in Poti, a town in western Georgia, in the morning of 10 July. Up to 70 of the market’s 150 stalls were destroyed. The cause of the fire, which has now been contained, is still unknown.

The fire spread over an area of 2000 square meters, with nine fire crews worked to contain it.

Tea Belkania, director of the market, told journalists that stalls were not insured.

Governor of Samegrelo–Zemo Svaneti, Levan Shonia, said that a special commission will be created to calculate the losses caused by the fire.

‘We know that the vendors have bank loans, but we cannot do anything until an expert assessment is made’, he said

According to Georgia’s Public Broadcaster, vendors managed to save a small portion of their products, but they say that even these are no longer good to sell.

One vendor attempted to commit suicide after the fire broke out, but was taken to hospital by the emergency services and is now stable.

Mayor of Poti, Irakli Kakulia, said that it is very suspicious that markets are burning all over the country for unknown reasons.

‘The fires break out in spots where the most expensive products are sold, and I am just curious — why are all these fires occurring all over the country like this? probably they will find the reasons’, he told journalists.

Police have launched an Investigation for ‘damaging or destroying property’ which is punishable by 1–3 years in jail.

A fire broke out in Tbilisi’s Eliava Market on 1 July, with up to 150 firefighters battling to contain the fire.

The head of Tbilisi’s Didube District, Irma Zavradashvili, told media that up to 15 shops had been destroyed.

[Read on OC Media: Eliava Market ablaze in Tbilisi ]

The Bavshvta Samkaro (Children’s World) market, as well as nearby clothes and wholesale markets — an area of more than 10,000 square meters — were completely destroyed by fire in January.

[Read on OC Media: Inferno in central Tbilisi market leaves vendors and their families in limbo ]