Yesterday, the Tanzanian fire brigade from Tunduma responded to a fire incident in Nakonde’s Ntindi village, provided assistance that saw the blaze quenched completely.
Nakonde’s fire brigade team is typically known for their swift response to emergencies, having saved numerous lives and properties in the district in the past.
However, Tuesday’s incident was different and unfortunate.
With their firefighting vehicle currently in Lusaka for servicing, the team was unable to respond as quickly as they would have liked despite being at the scene in good time.
The fire broke out around 14:00 hours at the residence of local businessman Kennedy Mugala, located along the Stevenson Road, near Nakonde Urban Clinic.
The semi-detached house, with eight rooms for each apartment, was severely damaged.
One side of the apartment is occupied by Mr. Mugala’s family, while the other side is rented to a Chinese national who has been renting for about six years.
The yard, measuring 70×70 meters, contained several properties, including a poultry house with improved village chickens, a storage room, a carport and vehicle, and two containers storing bags of maize from this year’s harvest.
A Mbwe-branded faulty bus, belonging to Mr. Mugala’s uncle, was also parked in the yard.
The fire damaged several properties, including two functional Scania horse trucks, one completely burnt, two functional vehicles , Toyota Harrier and Toyota Tundra, and a chicken run with about 65 chickens.
Fortunately, no one has been burnt.
The vehicle, which was driven out of the yard in good time, sustained minor damage.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the value of damaged items has not been established yet.
The fire also spread to two neighboring houses, affecting a kitchen in one and a house and car in the other.
Speaking to Chete FM news from the scene, Mr. Mugala, who was attending a burial of his biological elder sister in a neighboring village when the incident occurred, has expressed uncertainty about the cause of the fire, stating that none of the people at home could explain how it started .
By Felicia Kapungwe
Chete FM