A big fire broke out in the heart of the city of Gyumri on the night of December 9. The fire started from the most active spots of the city-one of the back-end pavilions of the center market where furniture was sold. Then the fire made its way to the nearby produce stores. Overall, 13 small stores were burnt and most of those stores were selling wholesale products. The fire was so big that the burnt stores turned to ashes on the afternoon of December 10 even after putting the fire out. There are none dead, however the fire caused serious material damage and the amount is being estimated. According to one version, the fire broke out due to the short turn-on of the electric wire. However, rumors flying around Gyumri claim that this was an organized crime and the goal was to take control of the profitable markets of the city. In fact, the same source claims that there are rumors that this had something to do with mayor of Gyumri Vartan Ghukasyan.
