News / National
Fire ravages Harare grocery outlets
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Small business owners in downtown Harare are appealing for government intervention after a devastating fire tore through a block of grocery shops in the early hours of Sunday morning, reducing their livelihoods to ashes.
The inferno, whose cause is still under investigation, is believed to have started in a popcorn shop before rapidly spreading through the tightly packed commercial premises. When ZBC News visited the scene later that day, the usually bustling area had fallen silent, its streets marked by the charred remains of once-thriving businesses.
Several traders were too distraught to speak, standing helplessly amid the debris. Those who managed to gather their composure issued emotional pleas for help, citing the complete destruction of their stock and infrastructure.
"It is a great loss that we have suffered. We need assistance now because this is too much for us," said one shop owner, still visibly shaken. Another lamented, "The fire has left us in a difficult place, where do we start from? Everything was destroyed in the fire."
While the fire caused extensive damage to several shops, some businesses were spared thanks to the timely intervention of the Harare Fire Brigade. "We are grateful because the fire did not destroy our shop. The Fire Brigade managed to come just in time to save our shop," said a relieved trader. Another added, "Our shop was saved because it's in the basement, but we feel for those who had their shops destroyed."
Although no fatalities were reported, the economic toll on affected traders is severe. Many of the shop owners were uninsured and relied entirely on daily sales for their income, making the road to recovery uncertain without external assistance.
Police have confirmed that investigations into the fire are ongoing and that the exact cause has not yet been established. In the meantime, pressure is mounting on local authorities and the central government to provide emergency relief and long-term recovery support to the affected traders.
The inferno, whose cause is still under investigation, is believed to have started in a popcorn shop before rapidly spreading through the tightly packed commercial premises. When ZBC News visited the scene later that day, the usually bustling area had fallen silent, its streets marked by the charred remains of once-thriving businesses.
Several traders were too distraught to speak, standing helplessly amid the debris. Those who managed to gather their composure issued emotional pleas for help, citing the complete destruction of their stock and infrastructure.
"It is a great loss that we have suffered. We need assistance now because this is too much for us," said one shop owner, still visibly shaken. Another lamented, "The fire has left us in a difficult place, where do we start from? Everything was destroyed in the fire."
While the fire caused extensive damage to several shops, some businesses were spared thanks to the timely intervention of the Harare Fire Brigade. "We are grateful because the fire did not destroy our shop. The Fire Brigade managed to come just in time to save our shop," said a relieved trader. Another added, "Our shop was saved because it's in the basement, but we feel for those who had their shops destroyed."
Although no fatalities were reported, the economic toll on affected traders is severe. Many of the shop owners were uninsured and relied entirely on daily sales for their income, making the road to recovery uncertain without external assistance.
Police have confirmed that investigations into the fire are ongoing and that the exact cause has not yet been established. In the meantime, pressure is mounting on local authorities and the central government to provide emergency relief and long-term recovery support to the affected traders.
Source - ZBC
