Tuesday 22 November 2016

AP PHOTOS: Fire sweeps through Haiti market after elections

A Haitian merchant tries to salvage her belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
A mysterious fire swept through sections of a Haitian market hours after polls closed in national elections, leaving scrap-wood stalls and inventory in ashes.

Vendors picked through the ashes Monday looking for anything they could salvage. A lucky few found half-burnt sacks of vegetables and grain. But most could only recover blackened scraps of sheet metal roofing.


The blaze erupted late Sunday at the main market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince where hundreds of poor vendors sell vegetables, clothes and other wares.

The cause isn't immediately known and likely never will be due to the troubled country's barely functional fire department.

But some Haitians feel there may have been a political motive since the fire broke out shortly after voting ended in repeatedly delayed presidential and legislative elections. 

(AP)     
People walk through the charred remains of market shops gutted by an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
People walk through the charred remains of market shops gutted by an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                 
Firefighters work to extinguish a massive fire at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
Firefighters work to extinguish a massive fire at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.                 
A woman grieves inside what's left of her shop inside a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A woman grieves inside what's left of her shop inside a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                                   
A woman sits in what's left of a market gutted overnight in a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A woman sits in what's left of a market gutted overnight in a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                             
A Haitian merchant throws water to down flames that engulf to his belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
A Haitian merchant throws water to down flames that engulf to his belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.                                   
Charred utensils lay amid the rubble of market shops gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Charred utensils lay amid the rubble of market shops gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                           
Firefighters work to extinguish a massive fire at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
Firefighters work to extinguish a massive fire at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
Merchandise sits on shelves inside what remains of a market shop gutted in an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Merchandise sits on shelves inside what remains of a market shop gutted in an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                 
Residents watch flames engulf a market in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, late Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Residents watch flames engulf a market in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, late Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                                             
A woman salvages rice from the ground of a market that burned overnight in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. Hours after general elections ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
A woman salvages rice from the ground of a market that burned overnight in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. Hours after general elections ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.                
Haitian merchant watch flames engulf their belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
Haitian merchant watch flames engulf their belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
Children scavenge the charred remains of a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Children scavenge the charred remains of a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.              
A man walks through the debris of a smoldering market gutted in an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A man walks through the debris of a smoldering market gutted in an overnight fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.               
A vendor sits in what's left of her stall at a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A vendor sits in what's left of her stall at a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.                 
A man tries to comfort a woman who lost her store overnight to a fire at a market in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A man tries to comfort a woman who lost her store overnight to a fire at a market in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Burned onions lay amid the charred rubble at a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
Burned onions lay amid the charred rubble at a market gutted overnight by a fire in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. After general elections ended Sunday night, a major fire ripped through the central market in the hillside district above the capital. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
A Haitian merchant reacts as she watches flames engulf her belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear.
A Haitian merchant reacts as she watches flames engulf her belongings at a market Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Nov. 20, 2016. Hours after voting ended, a major fire raged at a central market in the hillside Petionville district above Port-au-Prince but the cause wasn't immediately clear. 
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