Thousands lost to fire gutted at Gweru’s DST Flea market

GWERU– A fire ripped through six shops at Gweru’s DST flea market on Tuesday morning, destroying furniture and electrical equipment worth thousands of dollars, witnesses and traders said.

The blaze, which started around 10am on Tuesday, was triggered by an electrical fault at a breaker box, according to shop owners who spoke to The Midweek Watch.

No casualties were reported, but traders said the incident left them counting heavy losses.

Among the worst affected was furniture dealer Gift Tongogara, who said he lost nearly all his stock from two outlets.

“I lost 10 wardrobes, three wooden kitchen units, two metal kitchen sets, six sofa sets, seven coffee tables, four TV stands, four kitchen cabinets, 20 headboards, five bed sets with three bases, as well as grinders, an edge cutter, a compressor and a realtor machine,” Tongogara told The Midweek Watch while standing next to the charred remains of his stalls.

Other affected businesses included shops that had sofas, wardrobes, kitchen units, generators and other household items.

Traders said the fire spread quickly and the Gweru city council fire crews arrived after the blaze had already consumed most of the structures.

The DST flea market, located in Gweru’s central business district, is a popular hub for affordable furniture and household goods, drawing customers from across the Midlands Province.

Traders said Tuesday’s incident dealt a severe blow to their livelihoods at a time when most were already grappling with high operating costs.

Authorities were yet to establish the full value of the losses or announce measures to assist affected traders.

Midweek Watch.com