News / National
Fire guts Bulawayo stock feed factory, truck destroyed
5 hrs ago | Views
A devastating fire tore through a local stock feed manufacturing plant in Bulawayo yesterday, destroying hundreds of hay bales and gutting a truck and trailer after sparks from a welding machine ignited a blaze.
The fire erupted shortly after 3PM at the factory complex, quickly engulfing the highly flammable hay bales - dry grass commonly used in animal feed production - and spreading to nearby equipment before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo confirmed the incident and said the fire brigade responded promptly after receiving the alert.
"We received a report about the fire at 3PM, and fire engines from our West Commonage Fire Station, which is the closest to the scene, responded swiftly to find a large number of hay bales ablaze," Moyo said. "Preliminary indications are that sparks from a welding machine caused the fire."
He added that five fire engines and a 10,000-litre water bowser were dispatched to battle the flames. Despite their efforts, a truck, trailer, and hundreds of hay bales were lost to the fire.
"The sheer quantity of hay bales made extinguishing the fire very difficult. We had to divert water from nearby industries and access hydrants to control the situation," said Moyo.
When news crews arrived, the scene was chaotic, with firefighters working to suppress the remaining flames and prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings or igniting a veld fire.
An employee at the company explained that the truck destroyed in the inferno had arrived to collect hay bales when the fire started.
"Two men were welding something underneath the truck when the fire broke out. We tried to use fire extinguishers, but the flames spread rapidly. Eventually, we had to run for our lives," he said.
Moyo also criticised the delay in reporting the fire, revealing that a company representative had physically driven to Famona Fire Station instead of calling emergency services.
"This delay cost precious time. Fires must be reported immediately - every second matters when it comes to saving property and lives," he warned.
Although no injuries were reported, authorities are urging local businesses to exercise greater caution when using welding equipment around flammable materials and to ensure fire emergency protocols are followed strictly. Investigations into the full extent of the damage are ongoing.
The fire erupted shortly after 3PM at the factory complex, quickly engulfing the highly flammable hay bales - dry grass commonly used in animal feed production - and spreading to nearby equipment before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo confirmed the incident and said the fire brigade responded promptly after receiving the alert.
"We received a report about the fire at 3PM, and fire engines from our West Commonage Fire Station, which is the closest to the scene, responded swiftly to find a large number of hay bales ablaze," Moyo said. "Preliminary indications are that sparks from a welding machine caused the fire."
He added that five fire engines and a 10,000-litre water bowser were dispatched to battle the flames. Despite their efforts, a truck, trailer, and hundreds of hay bales were lost to the fire.
"The sheer quantity of hay bales made extinguishing the fire very difficult. We had to divert water from nearby industries and access hydrants to control the situation," said Moyo.
When news crews arrived, the scene was chaotic, with firefighters working to suppress the remaining flames and prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings or igniting a veld fire.
An employee at the company explained that the truck destroyed in the inferno had arrived to collect hay bales when the fire started.
"Two men were welding something underneath the truck when the fire broke out. We tried to use fire extinguishers, but the flames spread rapidly. Eventually, we had to run for our lives," he said.
Moyo also criticised the delay in reporting the fire, revealing that a company representative had physically driven to Famona Fire Station instead of calling emergency services.
"This delay cost precious time. Fires must be reported immediately - every second matters when it comes to saving property and lives," he warned.
Although no injuries were reported, authorities are urging local businesses to exercise greater caution when using welding equipment around flammable materials and to ensure fire emergency protocols are followed strictly. Investigations into the full extent of the damage are ongoing.
Source - The Chronicle
