Yemen: Massive fire engulfs shops in the al-Houban area of Taiz.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups:** **A massive fire broke out this evening in the Al-Houban area, east of Taiz city, resulting in the destruction of a number of shops and commercial centers, amid panic among residents and merchants.** **According to eyewitnesses, the fire started in one of the bakeries before the flames quickly spread to major stores and centers, including Al-Tawfeer Center and the adjacent shopping mall, while merchants tried in vain to save what they could of their goods.** **Locals said that thick clouds of smoke covered the sky of the area, while civil defense teams arrived relatively late at the scene of the fire to try to control the flames.** **The direct causes of the fire are not yet known, and no official toll has been announced regarding the extent of the losses, but local sources described them as "heavy".**