A devastating fire broke out last night at a shopping mall located at the corner of Julius Nyerere Street and Speke Street, opposite Goena City, leaving many people counting casualties after goods worth thousands of dollars were reduced to ashes.
It is suspected that the fire was caused by an electrical short.
Hair salons, pharmacies, clothing stores and other retail businesses were reduced to rubble.
Some tenants declined to comment because they were overcome with emotion while others said they needed to try to salvage something, despite the fact the fire was burning furiously.
As the fire grew, some people who not only ran shops there, but also lived there, watched helplessly as smoke billowed from their accommodation.
The fire brigade was present at the scene to put out the fire, but most of the goods on all floors were destroyed.
Through tear-filled eyes, a woman who has lived in the building for a long time said: “It hurts. I can’t even put it into words.
“My husband is still inside, trying to save everything he can. But we have already lost a lot. All we managed to save are a few beds, stoves and blankets.” For Ms. Anna Mubaiwa, a vendor who works nearby, the fire was a sudden and terrifying event.
“It all happened so fast,” she said.
“At first, we heard the sound of windows breaking, and then there was a huge flame. I can’t even describe what I felt at that moment.”
“I think millions of dollars worth of merchandise was destroyed because the mall was recently divided to accommodate many companies,” said a man who preferred to be called Baba Anisu.
The smell of smoke and ash hung in the air, and sirens echoed through the streets of Harare, where the once-thriving shopping center left tenants struggling.
Oddly enough, there were thousands of people – on a Sunday – who gathered to witness the fire.
Some were looking for transportation to return home while others were still biding time, but many rushed to take cover after a huge explosion suspected to be a gas stove. Announce