A FIRE which broke out yesterday morning in the newly-opened Protaras branch of German supermarket chain Lidl was the work of arsonists, said police yesterday.
The fire broke at around 3am yesterday morning inside the branch on Protaras Avenue, causing damages estimated to reach thousands of euros. The downside to the successful operation of the automatic fire extinguishing system within the store was the destruction of a large quantity of merchandise, said Famagusta police spokesman Georgios Economou.
The fire service’s Famagusta district chief, Panayiotis Nicolis said the timely arrival of two fire engines at the site prevented the fire from spreading from the front of the store to its remainder.
Economou echoed his views saying that the fire service’s quick response helped put the fire out before it could spread through the store, but that the store still recorded extensive damage due mostly to the smoke and fumes. One estimated calculation of damages reported yesterday reached €50,000.
The area was cordoned off until the light of day when police and fire service investigators combed the scene for clues, eventually concluding that the fire was caused by arson.
According to Larnaca Press Agency, the culprits left two heavy metal objects which they possibly used to break the windows of the store and start a fire using flammable material.
They also left a shoe among the trolleys which police have picked up for DNA testing.
The branch, which is reportedly covered by insurance, had just opened last Thursday on May 19 and was the tenth branch of the German supermarket chain launched in Cyprus since November 2010.
According to the online local website Stockwatch, Lidl released an announcement yesterday, saying: “Lidl Cyprus is monitoring developments and in contact with the local authorities regarding apportioning responsibility.”
The popular chain store thanked the fire service for its immediate response which prevented the fire from spreading, and the Famagusta police for their investigations.
Stockwatch yesterday cited market observers noting that Lidl’s arrival in the region caused a big upset among competitors. The chain promotes as its main advertising campaign the promise of providing better quality products at lower prices. Certain goods manufactured under its own label have provided a healthy alternative to consumers looking for cheaper products on the market.
Plans to get the Protaras branch up and running soon have already started, said Lidl yesterday, which already posted on its website the news that the Protaras store “is temporarily closed”. Meanwhile, customers in the region wishing to be served can go to its Paralamni branch, said the Lidl announcement.
If this does prove to be the work of arsonists unhappy with the cheap competition, then it won’t be the first time the principle of free and fair competition has been challenged in the region. Years back when a group of foreign entrepreneurs tried starting a rickshaw company in Ayia Napa, they were effectively beaten out of the holiday resort by those who found the start-up company went against their interests.
