Harare City Council spokesperson, Stanley Gama, commenting last night on the fire which gutted parts of Mbare Musika in Harare, the hub of informal market activities and a symbol of informalisation of the economy amid shrinkage of the formal sector in Zimbabwe.
Gama says the cause of the fire is unknown.
“We are not sure how the fire started, even the fire teams as you can see they are still puzzled and still investigating what happened, but, the bottom line is that we have to control the fire. but for us to do that we are appealing to the Zimbabwe REpublic Police to come and control this huge crowd,” he siad.
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This is not the first time that Mbareinformal market has been engulfed by fire, with suspicions that thieves would have broken in and start a fire to bury evidence.
A devastating fire gutted Mbare Musika – the informal sector market hub in Harare – in the overcrowded high-density area in the capital, leaving a trail of destruction in its blazing wake.
Flames engulfed shacks and market stalls, fueled by steel, wooden and plastic structures as well as inflammable materials used to build the shanty suburb’s dwellings. Resembling a mini-nuclear or volcanic explosion, the blaze emitted thick, black smoke which billowed into the air, obscuring visibility, across the township in the western direction.
Explosions of combustible materials, embers and sparks were seen and heard as they exploded and danced in the wind, spreading the fire.
People scrambled to escape and salvage their belongings, with some carrying huge bags on their heads and in carts used to transport and to hawk goods in the vast market, with others helping those in need, amid roaring flames and crackling wood.
Shattering glass and crumbling structures lay around, while panic-stricken screams and cries for help were occasionally heard.
Mbare Musika, probably the most famous informal market in Zimbabwe, was left lying in rubble; a scene of destruction and chaos.
As people tried to escape, while some gathered to help or just witness the conflagration, shacks were reduced to ashes, displacing people and leaving families homeless, while their livelihoods were burnt down.
Witnesses said the fire started around 9pm, but they did not know the cause of the blaze.
A witness on the scene Taurai Nendoro told The NewsHawks: “We really don’t know what caused fire, but I have never seen anything like this in Mbare for the past 30 years i have been living here.
“We only heard the fire was caused by candle light, people use candles in this area as we usually doesn’t have electricity from 6pm to 6am.
“This area is also overcrowded and any incident of fire can easily spread. There are lots of combustible materials in these dwellings here and that makes this place susceptible to fire outbreaks.”
Another Mbare resident Vimbai Dandara said the damage of property and displacement of people was massive.
“It’s a disaster. I don’t even know where i will go tonight; my family has lost everything. We have lost our dwelling, all the goods that we buy and sell to make a living and our belongings.” Said Charles Gomo, one of the witnesses,:
“The impact is very serious. Apart from destruction of property and loss livelihoods, just imagine the trauma and psychological distress on those affected. This is shocking.”
Emergency services, that is the fire brigade, water provision and other Harare City Council hands-on services, were at the scene as firefighters battled the blaze.
Two fire tenders were deployed to the scene, but they ran into problems with water shortages, a huge crowd gathered blocking movement and difficulties of manoeuvring in the teeming high-density area.
Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama, who was at the scene, said:
“This is a critical situation and as you can see the firebrigade is doing all it can to douse the fire. They were here at the earliest time possible and have been battling the blaze for hours.
Stanley GAMA, CITY OF HARARE SPOKESPERSON
“However, the fire tenders have no capacity to carry adequate water to overcome this blaze immediately. They have to keep on going back and forth to fetch water, so it will take time to put the situation under control. There is also the challenge of crowds and shanty structures here which make it difficult to manoeuvre. Police need to help to control crowds and people’s movements to allow firefighters to do their work unimpeded.
Stanley GAMA, CITY OF HARARE SPOKESPERSON
“Investigations into the fire’s cause will follow after the blaze has been extinguished, and people and goods rescued. We are doing all we can to quickly ensure this emergency is under control and people are helped.”
Stanley GAMA, CITY OF HARARE SPOKESPERSON
