Karonga market up in flames, goods damaged

Barely two months after Mzuzu and Lilongwe flea market were gutted down by fire, part of Karonga Market was also up in flames Friday night.

According to Karonga Police public relations officer Enoch Livason , the fire started in one of the barber shops at the market and spread to other hawkers and shops.

He said about 10 shops were razed down by the raging fire that could have spread to the rest of the market had police and fire fighters not responded on time.

“Information I have is that the watchman from the district council was the first to spot the fire,” said Livason.

The watchman reported to police and together with the fire department rushed to the scene to put out the fire.

“We suspect one of the barbers left an electrical appliance on [power socket] and it must have burst and ignited the fire that spread to other shops,” he said.

Police also managed to guard property against looters as a number of people flooded to market to save whatever survived in the inferno.

So far no arrest has been made and there have been no complaints of looting in the market.

Police have since called on shop owners to ensure that they switch off all electrical appliances when closing shop at the end of the day to avoid such damaging fires.