A fire broke out on Friday morning in a hardware store in Casablanca, causing significant material damage, it was reported by local authorities.

The hardware store, located on the ground floor of a seven-storey residential building in the Casablanca-Anfa district prefecture, was completely ravaged by the fire which broke out around 8:45 am and which spread rapidly due to the presence of flammable products.

Firefighters fought hard against the massive plume of smoke that was emerging from the blaze and managed, an hour later, to contain the fire, the causes of which remain undetermined.

The flames seriously damaged apartments on the first floor and licked others on the second floor of this building, which consists of 47 apartments.

Four people were evacuated to the Moulay Youssef hospital, which they left after being treated for smoke inhalation, according to hospital sources.