Published
08/31/2026, 10:07The Mayor of Bishkek, Aibek Dzhunushaliev, told journalists that traders at the ‘Madina’ market who were affected by the fire would receive financial compensation. He said the matter was being monitored by the President.
The mayor attributed the cause of the fire to a short circuit. Previously, this had been cited as a preliminary theory, whilst the Ministry of the Interior had reported that expert investigations had been commissioned to establish the circumstances of the fire.
Prior to the mayor’s statement, the Minister of the Interior, Ulanbek Niyazbekov, had said that the state would consider the issue of compensation for traders based on the findings of the expert investigation.
The fire at the ‘Madina’ market broke out on the morning of 30 August and affected more than 50 market stalls. In the evening, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the fire had been completely extinguished. According to updated figures from the ministry, the area affected by the fire totalled 1,500 square metres.
Firefighting efforts were complicated by heavy smoke, a large quantity of textile materials and the enclosed structures of the market stalls. The extent of the damage to traders has yet to be determined.
Three EMERCOM staff members were injured whilst fighting the fire. According to information from the Ministry of Health published on 30 August, two received outpatient treatment, whilst one was admitted to the toxicology ward. His condition was assessed as moderately serious.
