A major fire broke out at the Karvon clothing market in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, on October 3, damaging around 80% of the trading complex.

Preliminary information indicates that the fire started after a short circuit at one of the shops and quickly spread across a large part of the market, according to nova24.uz.

Bukhara City Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal investigation into the incident. The regional administration and relevant authorities have also formed a working group to assess the material damage and determine the exact cause of the fire.

Affected traders will receive free retail space for one year at other shopping complexes in the city. Their loan repayments will also be frozen for a year. The Karvon market is expected to be rebuilt.

On October 4, regional emergency services launched large-scale fire safety inspections at other markets and shopping centers, including facilities in Tashkent. Some businesses were temporarily ordered to suspend operations until identified safety violations are corrected.

The Bukhara fire comes amid a series of market fires reported in Uzbekistan in recent years. Just 33 days earlier, on August 31, a major fire broke out at the Oydin food market in Almalyk.