Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2018 shows the site of the fire in Kabul, Afghanistan. Hundreds of shops have been burnt down as a massive fire engulfed a market in a main business hub in central Kabul, local police said Friday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of shops have been burnt down as a massive fire engulfed a market in a main business hub in central Kabul, local police said Friday.

"The fire started roughly at 6:00 p.m. local time Thursday and continued to early Friday in Khair Khwa market in Pashtonistan Watt street, the main electronic business center in the city, causing serious damage to the shops but leaving no casualties," a police officer told Xinhua near the site.

A thick smoke was seen early Friday at the site.

Situated near the Finance Ministry, the market houses shops selling electronics and household appliances, as well as building electronic materials.

"Dozens of shops and storehouses were destroyed and turned to ashes following the huge fire in the multiple-story building. The damages could be millions of U.S. dollars," shop owner Ahmad Jawad told Xinhua.

The authorities have launched an investigation into the incident while shop owners said that it was apparently caused by carelessness.

The blaze has affected more than 1,000 businesses in the market and surrounding shops, Jawad noted.