Amman: A massive fire tore through a popular marketplace in Jabal Al-Hussein early Saturday, destroying an estimated 5,000 square meters of commercial stalls and prompting a large-scale emergency response from the Civil Defense Directorate. The fire, which began shortly after 1:00 a.m., engulfed dozens of stalls selling fruits, vegetables, clothing, cleaning supplies, and household goods. No casualties were reported, but the damage to property was extensive.
According to Jordan News Agency, Colonel Mohammad Khreisat, Director of Central Amman Civil Defense, stated that rapid intervention and operational coordination between emergency units in East and West Amman, Central Amman Police, and the Capital Gendarmerie were instrumental in containing the blaze. He credited the swift response and the readiness of firefighting crews with preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent areas.
Emergency teams faced significant challenges due to the nature of the flammable materials and the dense, unregulated layout of the market. Firefighters were forced to use heavy machinery to remove debris and reach hotspots deep within the damaged structures. By dawn, Civil Defense crews had successfully brought the fire under control. Cooling operations remained ongoing Saturday morning to prevent reignition, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
The marketplace is one of the busiest in the city, and the fire is expected to have a significant economic impact on small traders operating in the area.