Mzimba Market gutted

Fire suspected to have been sparked by an electrical fault gutted Mzimba Market on Sunday morning destroying a lot of valuable property.

Mzimba district commissioner Thomas Chirwa said the district experienced a 10-minute power outage and when the power resumed eye witnesses saw sparks on an Escom electrical pole.

He said the fire then spread to a salon and other shops at the market. He said about 400 shops in the main business area of the market were razed down.

Said Chirwa: “The situation is grave. It is more than the incidents in Mzuzu. A number of shops have been razed down and a lot of items have been destroyed.

“However, we thank God that this happened on a Sunday morning when most shops are closed. Otherwise, if the shops were operating and people were inside, we would have had casualties. We thank God that no one has been injured or scalded.”

Officials tried to engage firefighters from Raiply and Chikangawa who came with two fire engines, but by the time they arrived at the scene most of the shops had been gutted.

Chirwa said some people managed to make a firebreak, which spared some shops.

However, the shops that were saved from the fire were looted and police managed to arrest 15 people.

“It is very unfortunate that some people took advantage of the incident to loot shops that were not razed down. Various items were looted from the shops.

“However, I should commend the police for making arrests. They have arrested about 15 people and more arrests are expected,” said Chirwa.