Mufunge henyu vapisa apa vari kufa vese neaka vatumaTirikuvaziva zvedu, ma rentals enyu ndeekupengaAre you sure these are not the works of an arsonist 😳😢devastating fire erupted at Mbare’s Magaba area late last night, leaving Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) traders reeling from significant losses.
The blaze destroyed valuable tools and equipment, including grinders, fridges, drills and plumbing materials, dealing a heavy blow to local entrepreneurs who rely on daily trade for survival.
When the ZBC News crew arrived at the scene, distraught traders were seen sifting through the charred remains of their property, attempting to salvage anything left from the inferno.
One affected trader shared, “I lost everything in the fire last night. I had just restocked, and now I’m at a complete loss. I don’t know how I’ll survive, this was my only source of livelihood.”
Another trader echoed similar sentiments, “It is heartbreaking. The fire came just after I had bought new stock. Watching it all burn was devastating.”
A third victim added, “I am shattered. All my hopes are gone. This is where I earned money to feed and take care of my children.”
Mr Christopher Makopa, Chairperson of the Mukuvisi Manufacturing Traders Association, said the estimated value of the property destroyed stands at approximately US$15 000.
He praised the swift response by the fire brigade, which he said helped prevent further damage.
“It is sad that traders were affected by the inferno which destroyed their property yesterday. I was called by the security informing me of the incident, and I want to thank the fire brigade for their swift reaction because we could have lost a lot of property. According to our preliminary investigations, the property destroyed is approximately US$15 000,” he said.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) National Spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed investigations into the incident are underway.
“We are currently working together with the Fire Brigade to establish the cause of the fire incident which destroyed the property in Mbare,” said Commissioner Nyathi.
This is not the first time Mbare has suffered such a disaster. Last year, the Mbare Musika vegetable market was gutted by fire, prompting government intervention and the subsequent construction of a state-of-the-art market in the area.
