Maarten Boute the President of Digiciel Haiti estimated Thursday on a radio of the capital, that the fire that destroyed in the night from Monday to Tuesday one of the two halls (southern part) of Market Hyppolite more known under the name of Iron Market in Port-au-Prince https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23556-haiti-flash-the-iron-market-ravaged-by-a-fire.html , is of accidental origin, abundant in the sense of the testimonies of the guards who affirm that garbage heap were burning near the market before the disaster...

For Maarten Boute a very dry climate combined with a strong wind that night, contributed to the spread of flames to the many stalls around the market, then taking the intensity to the market itself. Pointing out that when the firefighters arrived, the fire was already very powerful and they were not able to control it despite their efforts.

However, this opinion is contrary to that expressed in a press note from the Office of the Secretary of State for Public Security, which states that "[...] the first elements of the investigation seem to indicate that the incident would be of criminal nature [...]"

President Boute reminds for those who speak and say things without knowing, that the Market had a fire alarm and was equipped with basic devices to control fires that can occur inside the market and that the guards were trained in these devices that have been proven several times in the past for small internal fires. But for him, even with a more powerful fire management system, we would have had the same problem, because the real cause was not the market, but the total insalubrity of the area around the building.

Maarten Boute said a reconstruction was not envisaged for the time at the level of Digicel, without excluding the participation of his company in this reconstruction, but alongside potential other financial partners including the Government.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23571-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23564-haiti-iron-market-krifa-questions-the-responsibility-of-the-state-for-the-fire.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23563-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-23562-icihaiti-iron-market-artists-musical-groups-personalities-and-media-to-help-victims.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-23557-icihaiti-politic-president-moise-in-solidarity-with-the-victims-of-the-iron-market.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23556-haiti-flash-the-iron-market-ravaged-by-a-fire.html

TB/ HaitiLibre