Fire breaks out at fruit and vegetable shops in central Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Iraq — A fire broke out on Friday at a cluster of fruit and vegetable shops in the Askeri neighborhood of central Kirkuk, according to a source at the provincial Civil Defense Directorate. The source said the blaze started in shops located across from a notary office, and that civil defense teams were dispatched to the scene, bringing the flames under control and preventing them from spreading to neighboring shops and buildings. Preliminary findings indicate an electrical short circuit may have caused the fire, though an investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause and the extent of the damage. A witness, Ahmed Abdullah, said the fire began suddenly in one shop and spread rapidly because of flammable materials stored in surrounding businesses. No casualties or injuries were reported, but material damage was recorded at several shops. Separately, authorities in Diyala province said an unidentified woman's body was found in a rural area of the province. No further details were immediately available.