Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
A massive fire gutted the Glen View Area 8 Home Industry Complex in the early hours of Sunday morning, destroying goods, machinery and raw materials worth thousands of dollars and leaving hundreds of informal traders without a source of income.
The fire reportedly started just after midnight and spread rapidly across the tightly packed stalls, many of which were made of wood and filled with highly flammable products.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but eyewitnesses said they heard a loud explosion before flames engulfed the area.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, but traders said the losses are extensive.
“We could not save anything,” said Mr Simbarashe Marunza, one of the affected traders.
“The fire moved too fast. We have lost goods worth thousands of dollars and we appeal to Government for help,”
Ms Patricia Chingono, a furniture manufacturer said she lost materials and finished products valued at over US$4 000.
Traders at Glen View Area 8 home industry complex in Harare try to salvage their belongings after the blaze yesterday.
“We are back to zero. My workshop is gone and I do not know how I will recover,” she said.
Another trader, Mr Brian Tichareva said two industrial carpentry machines and customer orders were destroyed in the fire.
“It happened so fast. I only managed to grab my phone before running,” he said.
The Glen View Area 8 complex, one of the largest informal furniture markets in Harare has previously been affected by fire with three major incidents reported in 2018. Traders have repeatedly raised concerns over poor infrastructure, the lack of fire hydrants and limited emergency preparedness.
Mr Lovemore Sevenzai, who has operated in the complex for over a decade said the current losses could run into thousands of dollars.
“There is no fire protection. We just watched as the fire destroyed everything,” he said.
Emergency services attended the scene, but traders criticised the response as slow and under-equipped to contain the fire in time.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and Harare Fire Brigade are yet to confirm the cause of the blaze and the estimated value of losses.
Traders have since launched an appeal for assistance and are calling on Government and the City of Harare to provide temporary shelters and expedite long-term upgrades to the complex.
The Glen View Area 8 Home Industry Complex supports hundreds of families and is a key contributor to the informal economy.
Its repeated exposure to fire has reignited calls for structural reforms and better disaster risk management in informal trading zones.
