Fire in Southern Tehran on the First Working Day of the New Mayor

According to Tehran fire officials, a fire in two warehouses in southern Tehran has been extinguished after several hours. Jalal Maleki, spokesperson for Tehran Fire Department, stated on state television on Saturday morning, September 4, that the fire caused significant financial damage but resulted in no fatalities, with only one or two people suffering from smoke inhalation. Mr. Maleki reported that the fire started at 6 AM in two warehouses on Fadaiyan Street in southern Tehran and was brought under control around 9 AM. Reports indicate that the fire occurred in two warehouses covering more than 5,000 square meters, above the Baghest highway, and smoke from the fire was visible from most parts of Tehran. Some news websites noted that air fresheners were stored in part of the warehouses. The spokesperson for the Tehran Fire Department mentioned that firefighters from several stations participated in extinguishing the fire, and the cause of the incident is under investigation. Last December, a fire and the collapse of the Plasco building in central Tehran drew criticism towards the fire department's facilities, with Ahmad Masjed Jamei, a member of the Tehran City Council, criticizing the municipality for not paying 198 billion tomans from the fire department's budget and warning about the lack of equipment for extinguishing fires in buildings over 40 meters tall. In the latest news, the Parvaneh shopping center, located opposite the site of the Plasco building, caught fire on Saturday. According to IRNA, Jalal Maleki stated that some smoke came from a generator due to high pressure, but there were no flames. On the first working day of the new mayor of Tehran, according to IRNA, Mohammad Ali Najafi, the newly elected mayor by the Tehran City Council, visited the fire site on Fadaiyan Street after a meeting with municipal deputies. Mr. Najafi emphasized to reporters at the scene that 'Tehran has safety issues' and stated, 'A comprehensive safety plan for Tehran has been written but has not yet been implemented, and we must follow up on this matter.' He also noted, 'I will not come to the municipality until my decree is signed, but I will continue meetings and work in my office outside the municipality.' The fifth term of the Tehran City Council officially began its work on Wednesday, September 1, when Mohammad Ali Najafi was elected as the mayor of the capital. Mohsen Hashemi, the head of this council, also emphasized in recent days that if Mr. Najafi's mayoral decree is not issued quickly by the Ministry of Interior, an interim manager will be appointed for Tehran Municipality. According to several news websites and social media, Mohammad Ali Najafi's appointment as mayor of Tehran has faced strong opposition from conservatives and some religious figures in Qom.