On Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m., a fire broke out in a shop, spreading rapidly to eight others. According to initial testimonies gathered at the scene, a short circuit in one of the shops is believed to be the cause of the blaze. The affected businesses, which sold small tools, fashion items, bags, and sandals, were located against the wall of the Regional Directorate of Youth and Sports in Ankilifaly and were consumed within half an hour.
“Most of the merchants renting these spaces share a single electricity source. The wires are often tangled and poorly maintained, which may have triggered the fire,” explained a merchant from across the street, who rents a shop near the Anglican Church of Ankilifaly.
The fire spread quickly because the shops were constructed of wood and sheet metal. Most tenants were absent as they close on Sunday afternoons. It was also noted that the back rooms of some of these shops were used as living quarters.
Firefighters arrived about ten minutes after the flames became visible from Andaboly and Sanfily. The Toliara urban commune’s road service has only one fire truck. “From what I saw, the firefighters could not do much, given they only had one tanker truck. Extinguishing the fire completely took some time,” said an eyewitness, noting the lack of fire hydrants in the area.
The intensity of the flames began to subside about an hour after the fire started. Victims suffered double losses; while some merchants tried to save their goods, opportunistic individuals took advantage of the chaos to steal items. One shop owner fainted upon witnessing the scene, having lost everything in just one hour.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-25 06:23:46 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/toliara-des-commerces-ravages-par-le-feu.html