Nicaragua: Dozens of shops set ablaze at traditional market

A fire in Nicaragua has destroyed part of a traditional 
market in the centre of the capital, Managua.

More than 60 stalls and shops at the Mercado Oriental 
have been lost to the blaze, which began in the early hours on Sunday.

Shopkeepers and market workers rushed to the area to
 try to rescue their belongings and minimise their losses.

It took firefighters four hours to control the fire. There 
were no casualties, the authorities said.

The fire began before 06:00 local time (13:00 BST).

Firefighters struggled to reach to the central area of the market, according to Nicaragua's Disaster Prevention
 Agency.

Access to many hydrants has been blocked by shops built
illegally over the years as the market expanded without 
proper planning, local media reported.

An estimated 100,000 people visit Nicaragua's biggest 
market every day.