Scores of traders at DST Home Industry in Gweru are counting their losses after fire gutted the market on Wednesday, destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze, but initial indications suggest a possible electrical fault.
An eyewitness, Moses Mupakurirwa, said he suspected an electrical malfunction triggered the fire. He said:
“I was working on my station when I heard a spark from the shade where the fire started. It looks like there was a short circuit, and what transpired later was quite scary.
“The form rubbers were burning like paraffin, and so were the asbestos. We tried to put out the fire, but the power was just too much.
“The fire was eventually put out by the fire brigade team. It was something that disrupted our work here, as we are waiting for the quantification of the losses for us to start again.”
One of the carpenters told ZBC News that he lost most of his wares in the fire. He said:
“The incident is still fresh on my mind. It is very difficult to think that we have been left with nothing here.
“I tried to retrieve some of the wares, but the fire was just too much. I had been given a contract by a local school where I was making 20 desks, and only one desk survived the fire. It is hard to understand, but it is what it is.”
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, said:
“It is a pity that we have a situation like this with our people who are trying to earn an honest living.
“They have indeed experienced some losses here, and it is quite disturbing. We are with them at this critical juncture.”
Mayor of Gweru City, Councillor Martin Chivhoko, said that traders should be organised and get the necessary licensing for them to get support in times of crisis. Said Chivhoko:
“We are very grateful to the Central government for providing us with the fire tenders, which were critical in putting out the fire during the unfortunate incident.
“The traders should get the necessary licensing so that they get the necessary support at the click of their fingers.
“You will realise that most of those who lost their wares are not registered, which makes it difficult for them to get the necessary compensation.”
The Gweru inferno comes barely a month after two separate fires gutted Harare’s Glenview Area 8 home industries, leaving traders counting heavy losses.
More: ZBC News
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