Managing Market Fire Outbreaks in Somalia: Case Study of Bakara Market in Mogadishu

In Somalia, market fire occurrences have become regular incidents, with a loss of millions of dollars and possibly loss of lives. It isa severe threat to the fragile economy of a country recovering from a devastating civil war. It disrupts economic activities and deteriorates the problem of poverty. Somalia markets suffer from ineffective fire management, and their layouts need to be designed better, because they are always congested and susceptible to fire. Anytime fire breaks out in the market, it becomes complicated for fire tenders to mitigate and control the fire; hence, the fire destroys many goods in the markets. This study describes fire management in the Bakara Market and identifies some challenges. It proposes several recommendations to build effective fire management for preventing fire outbreaks and minimizing losses in Mogadishu markets.