adminJohn Murwira Correspondent
Chinhoyi Municipality is operating without a fire tender, a development that was exposed when fast food outlet Eat and Lick was gutted by fire on Tuesday morning. A fire tender had to come from Harare, as the Chinhoyi Municipality fire tender was said to have gone for repairs.
As a result, the Makonde District Civil Protection Unit (CPU) met yesterday to review the state of disaster preparedness in the district. Chinhoyi health services director Dr William Mayabo admitted that council was operating without a fire tender, but expressed optimism that it would be back from Harare once repaired.
“Our fire tender has gone to Harare for repairs and we are facing a problem of spare parts as our supplier of the fire tender, Zimoco, has no spare parts. We have now approached Harare City Council and they have indicated that they can assist us,” he said.
Dr Mayabo said the local fire brigade was facing a number of problems, including the absence of a reaction car. In the Eat and Lick fire incident, the fire-fighting team had to use an ambulance to ferry equipment to the scene. Chamber secretary Mr Abel Gotora said council would use one of its pool vehicles as a reaction car.
The health department has one operational ambulance. Makonde district administrator Mr Joseph Manyurapasi insisted on the need for effective communication by members of the Civil Protection Unit in communicating fire outbreaks to avoid loss of life and property.
“We need to improve on the way we communicate these disasters and be able to assist in whatever form,” he said.
Chinhoyi Deputy Mayor Councillor Derek Matapura said council should put its house in order by buying fire-fighting equipment.
“Surely, from what we have experienced so far in terms of these fire outbreaks, there is need for council to see what is lacking in terms of its equipment,” he said.
Eat and Lick Chinhoyi caught fire after a suspected electrical fault and property worth thousands of dollars was destroyed in the process. Chinhoyi Municipality allegedly responded after more than an hour instead of the standard reaction time of about 20 minutes for an incident within the city.
Chinhoyi Municipality said it would soon embark on awareness campaigns targeting food outlets, supermarkets and Chinhoyi University of Technology Hotel as most of the fires were coming from kitchens.
“We are targeting those in the food industry to make sure their employees are well versed with putting out fires and all information related to extinguishing fires. We are also going to ensure that licences are issued only where conditions are met,” said Mr Mayabo.
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