Fire razes down Chinhoyi property

By Farai Chikore

CHINHOYI- A business owner has been dealt a major blow after his property was destroyed when a raging inferno engulfed Sugares building along Magamba way corner Montrose Avenue in Chinhoyi recently.

It is suspected that the fire was caused by an electrical appliance left on. Some property could have been saved had the fire brigade been alerted on time. Israel Musemwa of the Cash Track Investments, trading as Chinhoyi Furnishers, received a call advising him that his shop was on fire.

Musemwa dashed to make a report to the police, who in turn alerted the Chinhoyi Fire Brigade, which managed to put out the fire, but the shop had already been reduced to ashes. Zimbabwe Republic Police Mashonaland West assistant spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Aggary Jaure, confirmed the matter.

“On April 7, 2024 at around 1830 hours, a fire erupted at Sugares complex along Magamba Way, Chinhoyi, burning various furniture and electrical gadgets to ashes, although the owner of the owner of the shop locked the shop before leaving at the end of the day, with everything intact.

“The fire brigade managed to put down the fire but the shop was already reduced to ashes. Total value damaged because of the fire to be advised as investigations are still in progress,” she said.

The police spokesperson advised the public to build structures with fire proof material and to report immediately any fire, no matter how small, and not to underrate fire. She advised switching off all electrical gadgets in the event of a fire.

When Telegraph new screw arrived at the scene, fire fighters were busy dowsing the fire while the owner stood in shock as he watched helplessly the destruction of what two hours earlier, was his source of income.

One of the two Chinhoyi fire tenders battled the fire was still at the scene for a mop-up exercise while eye witnesses milled around a few metres away. The Fire Brigade was said to have collected water from a hydrant at Orange Grove Motel a kilometre away, although there was another one less than 50 metres at ZETDC Chinhoyi District Office. Telegraph learnt that the fire fighters required retraining and the hydrants within Chinhoyi Central Business should be serviced since they had gone for a long time without being serviced.