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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
A gas tank used by an informal trader for television and radio repairs reportedly exploded on Tuesday morning, leading to fire that destroyed a complex at Mbare Musika, with property worth thousands of dollars going up in smoke.
The incident occurred a few days after a part of Siyaso Informal Traders market in Magaba was ravaged by fire.
The Mbare Musika inferno is reported to have started at around 1am, with Harare’s fire brigade team arriving at the scene when nearly all property in the complex was already burnt.
Only a sewing machine was retrieved.
When The Herald news crew visited the area yesterday, Mr Netmore Mufunga, whose shop is said to be the origin of the fire, said he lost brand new and second hand electrical gadgets that had come for repairs, including his personal cellphone and cash.
“There was a gas tank in the shop that we use when repairing electrical gadgets during power outages and it might have exploded, leading to the fire outbreak,” he said.
“I lost entirely everything, 10 televisions sets, including a brand new boxed one that had been left on Monday for safe keeping. We lost about 15 radios, 2 Dvd’s and cash amounting to US$400 and ZWL$160.”
Mr Chengetai Mushayahama, from the same complex, said he lost groceries. “The guard alerted the police on four different occasions until they finally responded, leading to the arrival of the firebrigade,” he said. “I lost an assortment of groceries worth $5 000.”
Mrs Eustina Madziva, who lost a fridge and various clothing materials which she was yet to evaluate, said there was nothing recovered in her shop.
“I lost my valuable fridge which l was using to store some drinks for resale, a bulk of school uniforms and linen clothes,” she said. “I am still to come to terms with the incident as l am now grounded.”
Online Reporter