Africa-Press – Zambia. A fire broke out at the Glenview Area 8 home industry on Sunday morning, destroying property worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Harare City Council committee chairperson Denford Ngadziore claimed the blaze was started by security guards who were warming themselves. Said Ngadziore:
The affected traders include those manufacturing wardrobes, kitchen units, sofas, and other carpentry products. The estimated loss is approximately US$100,000.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was unintentionally started by security guards on duty, who were warming themselves by a fire that later spread around 5:00 AM.
Harare City Council’s Fire Brigade swiftly responded to the blaze and managed to contain it before it caused further destruction, according to Ngadziore.
The complex, which houses over 4,000 traders, has suffered repeated fire incidents over the years—most of them blamed on human error. The most recent major fire before Sunday’s occurred in 2023.
Ngadziore said the City of Harare’s SMEs Committee recently visited the site and held discussions with the traders’ representative committee to assess conditions and explore long-term solutions.
One of the key resolutions, he said, was that traders should resume formal monthly payments to the Council—a process that has been suspended for the past three to four years. He said:
Unfortunately, during this time, funds have been misappropriated by private individuals, undermining council operations and service delivery.
As the SMEs Committee, we will take keen interest in the ongoing investigations.
It is our strong position that those on duty must be held accountable and prosecuted for their negligence, which resulted in this costly disaster.
Ngadziore said the only lasting solution lies in the comprehensive redevelopment of the Glenview SMEs Complex.
The committee has resolved to pursue this through a Public-Private Partnership, guided by urban planning principles and fire safety regulations.
He added that construction of a modern People’s Market nearby is expected to begin soon.
The project, aligned with the city’s approved architectural plans, will include over 30 modern kiosks to provide a safer and more dignified trading environment.
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