Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
FIREFIGHTERS worked throughout Monday night dousing flames that broke out at Ascot Race Course in Bulawayo after thousands of bales of hay went up in smoke earlier in the day.
The fire destroyed two trucks and trailers, while a zinc roof shed was also damaged by the fire, alongside about 10 000 hay bales.
Each bale of hay is sold at for US$2 or the equivalent in local currency.
The Fire Brigade said the estimated loss is $30 million in local currency.
Smouldering smoke and the strong smell of burnt hay greeted a Chronicle news team as it arrived at the scene on Tuesday morning.
The owner of the business, Mr Craig Tilbury, his wife Lorna and their son Matthew were at the scene counting their losses. Friends and business associates came to console Mr Tilbury in the morning and also to find out what happened.
The family that lives in Suburbs said they were yet to find out how much was lost.
Mr Tilbury said he was at Matopos National Park cutting grass and bailing it when the fire broke out.
His wife Lorna said she was in shock when she saw flames on Monday at around 12.30 PM when she arrived at the scene following a phone call from one of her workers.
“As I stood there watching my property burning, I was horrified. Other members of the public were coming to console me and were very kind, while others were just taking out their phones and getting back into their cars and driving away,” said Mrs Tilbury.
“My neighbour Mr Moyo, who is constructing a soccer pitch, is the one who reported the fire and the fire brigade were there in under three minutes,” said Mrs Tilbury.
She said about 10 000 hay bales were destroyed along with the two trucks.
Mrs Tilbury said they will have to recover and get their business going.
“Zimbabwe is an aggressive economy, we can’t afford to stop and this is our only livelihood. We have bales sitting in Matopos where we are cutting. We have no choice, but to get those bales in and try and recover and move forward,” said Mrs Tilbury.
According to a preliminary report by Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Linos Phiri, there were no casualties and it is estimated that $30 million worth of property was destroyed.
“The fire brigade immediately put into use two high-pressure hose reels and two jets from water tender three with water supplies augmented from water carrier one, a BCC water bowser and from the hydrant to control and put the fire out. The estimated value of the property, is $45 million, the estimated value of the loss is $30 million and the estimated value saved is $15 million,” said Mr Phiri.
He said there was no fire protection equipment on site.
“The fire had engulfed the whole pile of hay bales and two trucks. No fire protection installation was on the premises. Bystanders were watching helplessly as the inferno engulfed the hay. The two trucks that were parked adjacent to the hay bales were locked with keys said to have been with the owner,” said Mr Phiri.
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