‘I’m left empty-handed’ — a huge fire in a Tbilisi market destroys vendors’ livelihoods

A massive fire that broke out on Wednesday in the area of Tbilisi’s Station Square market in Tbilisi destroyed many warehouses. No injuries have been reported, but hundreds of vendors have suffered significant financial losses.

The fire started early in the morning and, according to the vendors, quickly spread across a vast area of warehouses. Stocks of clothing, shoes, fruits and vegetables, books, and other goods were burned.

According to Levan Museliani, head of the Main Fire and Rescue Department, about 30 fire and rescue vehicles along with their crews were involved in extinguishing the fire. He also reported that approximately 15,000 square meters were burned.

Drone footage published by Netgazeti shows the area, which just hours earlier had held a large quantity of goods, is now practically reduced to ashes.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Station Square and the surrounding area, located near Tbilisi’s central railway station, is one of the largest open-air commercial zones in the capital.

‘I had a grocery store, full of goods. I had ₾30,000 ($11,000) worth of stock, and I had left ₾4,000 ($1,500) in cash inside last night — mine and someone else’s’ money’, a vendor told TV Formula.

‘I’m left empty-handed. I had nothing else. What will happen to me now? Shouldn’t someone help?’ she added, pointing to the need for compensation.

‘I was earning bread money […] everyone here is struggling’, another vendor told the media.

Due to the intensity of the fire, Museliani said it was necessary to evacuate patients from some clinics located near the market.

According to the administration of one of the clinics, Healthycore, the patients were transferred to other clinics across Tbilisi.

‘At the time of the [fire], we had 93 patients in the clinic. Our oxygen plant, oxygen supplies, and generators were affected, so we had to transfer the patients. All patients were relocated promptly. The Minister of Health is with us’, the clinic’s director, Archil Khantadze, told the media, adding that some patients on ventilators were transported to other clinics via emergency ambulances.

‘All patients are fine, no one’s life is in danger’, he said.

Fires at markets are common in Georgia. In January 2017, a fire in the Station Square area completely destroyed the Bavshvta Samkaro (Children’s World) market and nearby clothing and wholesale markets — an area of more than 10,000 square meters.

In July of the same year, a fire broke out at the nearby Deserter’s Bazaar, destroying four warehouses where vendors stored products.

According to local media, some of the vendors affected by Wednesday’s fire had already experienced similar losses and are now going through it once again.

Market vendors periodically face other challenges as well. Last summer, vendors at Deserter’s Bazaar staged a protest in response to reports about the planned construction of a shopping center on the site and the potential closure of the market indefinitely.

‘This is the third time [my production] is burned, you know?! It burned at Deserter’s Bazaar, at Bavshvta Samkaro, and now here for the third time’, one distressed vendor told the media, calling on the government to restore the market area.

‘So it was not in the interest of the government and it was not intentionally set, right?! That’s what they are saying, right? Then let them rebuild the market, and we’ll go back to our places!’ she said.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs told OC Media that the investigation into the fire was launched under Article 187 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the damage or destruction of property. The ministry has not yet provided any further details.