Africa-Press – Tanzania. HOME Affairs Minister, Mr George Simbachawene has declared the popular Kariakoo Market in Dar es Salaam a no-go zone until further notice.
He also ordered Regional Commissioners in collaboration with the Fire and Rescue Force countrywide, to inspect all public buildings accommodating large crowd, to check whether they possess proper infrastructure for containing fire outbreaks.
MrSimbachawene made the directive yesterday when he visited the gutted Kariakoo Market, to witness the ongoing work of putting out the remaining fire traces.
The Minister said as per the law relating to disaster management and rescue, the market is currently considered a dangerous area, therefore it is out of bound.
As such, the market will be under the supervision of the Fire and Rescue Force and the Dar es Salaam Region Defence and Security Committee until the ongoing exercise is complete..
“For there has not been any assessment to this instance, we can’t be sure even where we stand is safe. We can’t tell of the damage which has been caused to haphazardly allow people to enter, unless it’s declared otherwise by experts,” said MrSimbachawene.
He, thus, directed all RCs countrywide along with the Fire and Rescue Force to assess all crowded areas in their respective regions, if they possess proper infrastructure in containing similar tragedies.
According to him, the tragedy should act as a wakeup call for restructuring the market in a manner that will set up clear passage to go in and outside the market.
“An inspection and routine water testing should be carried out in all public buildings among others to check their efficiency,” he said.
MrSimbachawene urged the Commissioner General of the Fire and Rescue Force to supervise the enforcement of the law and pinpoint the challenges facing the areas to prevent any future damages.
The minister said it was a sad story that in just a single day four similar incidents occurred in different places including schools in Morogoro Region.
MrSimbachawene, meanwhile, called upon the Ministry of Water to consider installing infrastructure which support more reliable source for fire hydrant valves with enough water pressure in such areas as the Kariakoo Market.
On his part, the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Amos Makala commended the Fire and Rescue Force for a good job to contain the fire outbreak at the Kariakoo Market, noting that despite the challenges they encountered while putting out the fire, it did not stop them to continue with the task.
He pointed out that at least 397 traders carrying out their activities in the adjacent market and 99 stalls located outside have not been affected by the fire.
MrMakala noted that about 224 traders who were carrying out their activities on the first and second floor are the ones who have been hit hard by the fire as their products have been burnt down.
He extended appreciation to Tanzania Scouts Association (TSA) for deploying a big number of youths to assist in dealing with the fire outbreak all the time.
The RC urged the business community to be patient while the Fire and Rescue Force is making assurance the fire has completely been put out in the two remaining areas within the market.
He recalled the directive issued by Prime Minister KassimMajaliwa for the security and defense committee to ban the traders from going into the market until the team is satisfied whether there will be any effects.
“There is a pressure of traders wanting to be allowed to go inside, the current situation does not allow me to permit any inspections or people to go in…the government has good intentions,” said the RC.
MrMakalla said the special task force has been ordered to coordinate all the traders in the adjacent market and those settled on the ground floor on how they will start getting into the market.
Such orders have been issued to prevent a few unscrupulous individuals from engaging in any malpractice.
