More than 100 workers are out of work after a violent fire at the Gilchrist and Cooksey building in Harare on Sunday evening.
The building, which is located along Speke Street and Julius Nyerere Road, next to the pedestrian bridge, houses a range of businesses, including a furniture store, a salon and mobile phone shops.
One small business owner, who identified herself only as Nancy, rented 96 chairs to beauticians, which went to hell.
Nancy said: “We had nearly 100 beauticians, excluding our trainees, who were affected by the fire and woke up thinking about their next step.”
“The incident came at a time when most beauticians had not yet recovered from the ‘January disease’.
“They pay for their kids and rent, so it has affected us emotionally, socially and financially.
“Some of these beauticians were renting chairs somewhere and they were still new to this building and their tools of the trade had been burned to ashes.
“We were struggling to find water to use in the salon, but the firefighters came and found a way to turn on the water and it is still coming out today.”
Gabriel Chioriri, who employed 60 people, said that although his company was not fully insured, assistance from the Ministry of Women, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development would be appreciated.
“Everything has been destroyed, and my staff is looking to me to find a solution,” Gabriel said.
“My business was not fully insured, and this left me in a very difficult position because I had employees who had families to take care of.
“I pray that we get help in any way that may revive our businesses that were destroyed by the fire,” he said.
Most of the people who worked in the destroyed building spent the better part of yesterday sitting along the street.
Acting Harare Provincial Police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Faith Mapisa, said the cause of the fire was still unknown.
“The police have not yet determined the cause of the fire and the total value destroyed in the building.
“A report was received that a fire had broken out at Gilchrist & Cooksey on January 28 and at approximately 7.30pm.
He added: “The fire brigade was sent to come to the scene.
“They established that the building is divided into small shops selling different goods.
“They were able to put out the fire. Investigations are ongoing,” Ass-Insp Mapisa said. H Metro
