Another fire sweeps through market in Haiti's capital

A vendors covers his nose and mouth with a bandana next to another vendor amid the ruins of the biggest clothing market as it burns in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo / AP

A fire has swept through a large clothing market in Haiti's capital, days after another blaze destroyed a large part of the main market in Port-au-Prince.

Emergency crews told RTVC television that the fire started in the early morning in what is known as the old customs market, where hundreds of vendors normally work. The market was closed at the time and there were no reports of deaths.

Vendors rushed to the market to try to save their merchandise but many were blocked by armed security guards.

Firefighters put out the flames and the cause of the fire was still not known.

It was the third fire to rip through the old customs market in less than a decade. It was previously burned down in April 2010, and again in December 2012.

Yesterday's fire came less than a week after fire destroyed a large part of Port-au-Prince's emblematic Mercado de Hierro market, which is considered part of Haiti's cultural patrimony.

President Jovenel Moise had said there would be an investigation into that fire but so far no report has been released.

- AP