KABUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A fire ripped through an underground market in northern Afghanistan's Balkh province late Friday, reducing at least 135 shops to ashes and causing extensive damage, local media outlet TOLOnews reported Saturday.
The blaze broke out at Bakhtar Market in Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital of the province, according to the report.
Preliminary estimates indicate the fire destroyed clothing stores, footwear outlets and tourist offices, inflicting heavy losses on traders and no human casualties reported yet.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Investigation teams have been sent to the scene and an inquiry is under way. ■
