Fujairah’s Masafi market is back in business after blaze

Half of shops at Masafi in Fujairah reopen after traders rally and completely rebuild.

The Friday Market at Masafi in Fujairah makes a colourful return to business seven months after a fire. Pawan Singh / The National

FUJAIRAH // About half of the shops at the Friday Market in Masafi have reopened at a cost of millions of dirhams to traders seven months after a fire tore through the market.

Shop owners hoped that the Fujairah government would provide financial support to help them to rebuild their shops, but they were yet to receive any.

“When the fire destroyed our shops, many newspapers and television channels came and spoke to us about our crisis, and we begged for help from the authorities but nothing happened,” said Azghar Khan, a 40-year-old Pakistani carpet trader whose shop was destroyed.

“We didn’t get any financial support, so we borrowed the money from some family members to rebuild the market. In the end, we will return it to how it was before once we get back to business and start making a profit.”

Mr Khan, who estimated his losses at Dh1 million, said he paid about Dh120,000 to rebuild his shop.

None of the shop owners had insurance, as insurers would not provide cover because of the metal walls used to build the market.

Another Pakistani shop owner said that the two carpet shops he ran with his father lost Dh13 million worth of stock and that they paid Dh450,000 to rebuild the shop in addition to Dh250,000 in rent and workers’ fees since the fire in May. “The past seven weeks cost me about Dh700,000 between rebuilding the shops and paying rent for the landowner plus workers’ salaries, although we were out of business,” said Noor Khan, 28.

“My father and I lost millions and now we have one shop ready while the other still needs time.”

He said they opted for concrete walls instead of metal so that they could get insurance, adding that fire extinguishers have been installed as well.

“We have all built concrete walls and installed fire extinguishers to register our shops in an insurance programme in case any similar incidents happen,” said Mr Khan. “We hope that they will enrol us for insurance this time.”

Although half of the shops are ready, traders said they still did not have access to electricity and water supply.

“We don’t have an electrical connection and we are using generators that cost Dh250 each day to work for only four hours, and I buy two water tanks for Dh120 each day to cover the shop’s needs,” said Bustan Abduljalil, a 68-year-old Afghan trader who owns five carpet shop with his brothers.

“I lost Dh15m during the fire and about Dh1.5m in rebuilding the shops. Two shops have started selling about 12 days ago, while the rest needs more time and work,” he said.

Masud Rana, a Bangladeshi trader, owns four vegetable shops and a pottery store with his partner. He said the landlord had helped them by paying half of the rebuilding costs.

“The expenses were about Dh275,000 and the landlord paid half of it. We are so grateful,” said Mr Rana, 38.