Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Municipal Correspondent
A fire that broke out at Glen View Area 8 Home Industry in Harare yesterday morning left scores of traders counting their losses after property worth thousands of dollars, including workshops and stalls containing furniture, mattresses and household utensils, was reduced to ashes.
The cause of the fire, which sent a thick blanket of smoke across the home industry, had not been established by the time of going to print, with police launching investigations into the incident.
This is the third time this year that Glen View Area 8 Home Industry has been ravaged by fire, leaving hundreds of traders counting their losses.
The Herald visited the site and observed that a pungent smell of burnt furniture, mattresses and kitchen utensils filled the air, while thick smoke made movement and visibility difficult.
The normally bustling home industry had been transformed into a scene of devastation, with traders rummaging through blackened debris in a desperate attempt to salvage whatever remained of their businesses.
Some were seen carrying away kitchen utensils and other household belongings, while others gathered what appeared to be remnants of their earnings from the charred remains of their stalls.
For many, however, there was little left to save.
Years of investment had been reduced to ashes within hours.
One trader, who declined to be named for fear of victimisation, said the fire had exposed challenges associated with the way businesses were operating at the home industry.
“The cause of the fire lies within us. We have allowed this situation to continue for too long,” he said.
He added:
“Council should start collecting money from us, not these people who are collecting money from us.”
The trader alleged that money was being collected from businesses operating at the home industry, but questioned whether traders were receiving adequate services and safety measures in return.
“If you hear at any time that money is being collected, then know that there is a fire nearby,” he said.
Another trader, Mr Lameck Munemo, said the fire had wiped out his livelihood.
“Everything I had was here. I have nothing to take home now,” he said.
Mr Munemo added that the blaze had destroyed his family’s source of income.
“The timber, machines and furniture were our livelihood. All of it is gone,” he said.
A woman trader, Ms Elsea Dzihwema, who was seen salvaging kitchen utensils from the debris, said she was no longer concerned about making a profit, but about finding something she could take home.
“I am not even looking for profit anymore. I am just trying to find something I can take home,” she said.
“We have families to feed. We do not know where to start tomorrow.”
The scale of the destruction continued to sink in as traders sifted through the remains of their businesses.
Some stood silently watching smoke rise from the wreckage, while others struggled to contain their emotions as they confronted the loss of property accumulated over many years.
The fire has also renewed calls for traders and carpenters to embrace the planned relocation to Chemhanza Grounds, where authorities are preparing space for at least 5 000 carpenters.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said continued business operations under the current conditions could result in further disasters.
“The way business is being conducted here can only cause more problems, and traders should start thinking about a new, orderly way of doing business,” he said.
Mayor Mafume reiterated the need for traders to start relocating to Chemhanza Grounds as preparations for the new site continue.
“We reiterate the need for traders to start moving to Chemhanza,” he said.
The Mayor said inadequate fire-prevention measures at the current site were among the major concerns necessitating the relocation.
“The lack of fire-prevention measures is one of the major issues, hence the need for us to expedite the development of Chemhanza,” Mayor Mafume said.
The Herald visited Chemhanza Grounds yesterday, where work was under way ahead of the planned relocation.
The site is expected to accommodate at least 5 000 carpenters and provide a more organised environment for businesses currently operating from the congested Area 8 Home Industry.
The latest fire has once again placed the spotlight on fire-safety measures at informal business premises in the capital, with authorities now under pressure to accelerate the relocation of traders to safer and better-organised premises.
For the traders of Glen View Area 8, however, yesterday’s fire was not merely a municipal incident. It represented the loss of businesses, household incomes and years of hard work in a matter of hours.
