Business / Local
Fresh fire razes Glen View complex again
2 hrs ago | Views
Barely three weeks after President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the Glen View Area 8 Home Industry Complex a state of disaster, another fire has gutted part of the bustling market, leaving scores of traders reeling from fresh losses.
The blaze, which broke out on Sunday, reduced dozens of stalls to ashes as desperate vendors watched helplessly. Harare City Council's fire department contained the flames before they spread to the entire complex, but officials confirmed that significant damage had already been done.
The cause of the latest inferno remains unknown, though witnesses said the flames spread rapidly through the highly congested and flammable structures.
The Glen View Area 8 complex, one of Zimbabwe's largest informal industrial hubs, has long been plagued by recurring fire outbreaks. The most recent incident on July 27 destroyed hundreds of stalls, prompting President Mnangagwa to invoke the Civil Protection Act and declare the market a state of disaster. That move was meant to pave the way for emergency interventions and rehabilitation efforts.
In his declaration, the President described the market as a vital economic lifeline for thousands of families, with government pledging to mobilise resources for its reconstruction.
However, the latest fire has sparked renewed concerns over the safety and resilience of the complex. Traders, many of whom have lost their stock twice within a month, are now appealing for urgent government support and a permanent solution.
Some have called for a complete overhaul of the market's infrastructure, arguing that only a fire-resistant industrial park or relocation to a safer site can end the cycle of destruction.
As affected entrepreneurs count their losses, pressure is mounting on authorities to accelerate long-term reforms for the country's busiest informal industrial hub—now scarred by yet another devastating inferno.
The blaze, which broke out on Sunday, reduced dozens of stalls to ashes as desperate vendors watched helplessly. Harare City Council's fire department contained the flames before they spread to the entire complex, but officials confirmed that significant damage had already been done.
The cause of the latest inferno remains unknown, though witnesses said the flames spread rapidly through the highly congested and flammable structures.
The Glen View Area 8 complex, one of Zimbabwe's largest informal industrial hubs, has long been plagued by recurring fire outbreaks. The most recent incident on July 27 destroyed hundreds of stalls, prompting President Mnangagwa to invoke the Civil Protection Act and declare the market a state of disaster. That move was meant to pave the way for emergency interventions and rehabilitation efforts.
In his declaration, the President described the market as a vital economic lifeline for thousands of families, with government pledging to mobilise resources for its reconstruction.
However, the latest fire has sparked renewed concerns over the safety and resilience of the complex. Traders, many of whom have lost their stock twice within a month, are now appealing for urgent government support and a permanent solution.
Some have called for a complete overhaul of the market's infrastructure, arguing that only a fire-resistant industrial park or relocation to a safer site can end the cycle of destruction.
As affected entrepreneurs count their losses, pressure is mounting on authorities to accelerate long-term reforms for the country's busiest informal industrial hub—now scarred by yet another devastating inferno.
Source - The Herald
