Two more fires in weapon storage areas break out in Baghdad and Sulaimani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Two new fires broke out at weapon warehouses in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani Province on Thursday in what has been a series of incidents over the past two weeks.

Flames from a farm fire in Sulaimani’s Ranya district spread to a nearby weapon storage unit, causing an explosion in the village of Karajani.

A statement by the Ranya District Police said the owner of the stockpile of weapons was arrested under Article 31 of the Kurdistan Region’s firearms law, for “activities or ownership deemed illegal by the local government of Kurdistan.”

Another fire broke out north of Baghdad, and according to the Ministry of Interior (MOI), was due to “increasing temperatures” in the region.

The MOI statement mentioned the fire took place in a storage area where weapons were kept by the Taji police in Baghdad.

In both instances, no casualties were reported, and firefighters were able to control the flames and contain the damages to nearby properties.

Previous incidents of the sort have raised concerns, notably after a fire at a weapons depot in Sulaimani Province on Monday wounded four Peshmerga fighters.

On Saturday, in Erbil’s sub-district of Baharka, a weapon warehouse caught fire for the third time in the capital in less than three years.

Temperatures rising in the region and improper storage of dangerous materials or exposed wires increase the risks of fires breaking out in urban areas.

Editing by Nadia Riva