By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA-
GOODS worth millions of Kwacha were yesterday reduced to rubble when fire swept through a shopping complex housing a number of shops, among them, Carnival Furnishers in Kitwe’s town centre.
The shopping complex known as Yemba, on Matuka Avenue opposite the Main Post Office in the central business district, went up in flames in the early hours of yesterday.
Among the severely affected shops were Carnival Furnishers and Yamaje Trading, stocking a range of imported household goods such as furniture, electrical appliances and clothes, which were reduced to ashes.
A Times reporter, who rushed to the scene around 07:00 hours, found some of the shop owners watching helpessly as a combined team of fire fighters from the Kitwe City Council, Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation struggled to put out the inferno which was fast spreading to the Barclays Bank building.
Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga and Kitwe City Council chief fire officer, Stanley Sichivula, who were found at the scene, suspected an electrical fault in one of the shops sparked the inferno which later spread to other shops within the complex.
Yemba building complex owner, Beatrice Sichizya could not hold back her tears during an interview and said she received a phone call around 06:00 hours informing her of the fire.
Ms Sichizya said when she got to the shopping complex, she noticed smoke coming from the ceiling at Yamaje Trading.
“That is how we called the police and the fire-brigade from Kitwe City Council who came, but unfortunately they were not sufficient to contain the inferno and this was how they called for reinforcement,” Ms Sichizya said amid sobs.
Confusion characterised the town centre as unscrupulous individuals, who had besieged the scene of the fire, tried to take advantage of the burning buildings to loot some goods.
Alert police in full anti-riot gear fired teargas canisters causing commotion around town with people scampering in different directions.
Nearly all the shops along Matuka Avenue were kept closed while offices were immediately deserted as the teargas filtered through to the surrounding buildings, bringing business to a virtual standstill.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge inspected the gutted shops soon after the fire brigade contained the inferno around 09:00 hours.
Mr Musenge said had the fire fighters delayed, many other properties, including Barclays Bank, would have been gutted.
Copperbelt police chief Joyce Kasosa said the fire completely gutted Yamaje Trading while Carnival Furnishers was partially burnt.
Ms Kasosa said the value of goods destroyed was not yet known and that the exact cause of fire was yet to be established as investigations were still underway.