Fire reduces Kabwe furniture market to ashes
By Thandizo Banda
TRAGEDY has befallen over 120 furniture traders at Kabwe’s Kasanda Timber Market after a fire destroyed their merchandise worth thousands of kwacha.
The blaze reportedly started around 23:00 hours Wednesday night and quickly spread engulfing the whole market, reducing property to mere ashes.
It utterly destroyed several wooden structures, beds, couches, wardrobes and kitchen units before emergency responders could arrive at the market located at the Kabwe Central Hospital junction.
Effort by Kabwe Fire Brigade to put out the fire failed, leaving people watching in disbelief.
A night duty watchman found at the scene at about 00.30 hours, Elijah Kabende, told The Mast that he and his colleagues only discovered the inferno after it had already progressed to a larger portion of the trading area.
The fire brigade, which arrived around 23:40 hours, struggled to completely quench the fire even after making three trips between the scene and the source of water.
Chairman of Kasanda Market Timber Traders James Mulenga appealed to government to support the victims so that they could move on with their lives after losing their source of livelihood in the accident.
Speaking in an interview at the scene, Central Province commissioner of police Charity Munganga said police had launched investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
“We were informed about the fire around 23:00 hours and immediately moved in….we deployed our officers to ensure no one loots the surviving property,” Munganga said.
Central Province permanent secretary Dr Milner Mwanakampwe described the fire as tragic.
“Our prayers as government are with the victims. May Almighty God replace the loss,” Dr Mwanakampwe said.
He said government did not suspect any foul play but strongly believed the blaze could have been lit by a brazier which had been left burning by the night security guard.
“We have assembled a team of officers from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and line departments to assess the extent of damage and recommend the possibility of compensating the victims,” Dr Mwanakampwe said.
