A massive fire engulfed Mbare Musika, the market, and several surrounding shops on Tuesday night, the City of Harare has confirmed.
In a statement, the council reported that the Fire Brigade was working to control the blaze, with three fire tenders dispatched to combat the flames.
The volunteer group Emergency Help Group mobilised tankers of water to ensure that the fire tenders would not need to return to the depot for refills.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but videos shared on social media showed a large blaze burning in the distance, with thick billows of smoke visible in the night sky.
The City of Harare, however, complained that some people were obstructing fire tenders and firefighters from reaching the blaze, as some bystanders had begun looting. Said the council:
Thousands of people are blocking fire tenders and firefighters from accessing the fire as some have resorted to looting.
The City of Harare is appealing to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to urgently control the crowd to allow firefighters to do their job.
In a subsequent update on its social media pages, the Harare City Council announced that the fire had been brought under control thanks to the combined efforts of the police and the Emergency Help Group. It said:
The fire at Mbare Musika is now under control only after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) cleared the huge crowd that had gathered.
Fire Tenders and water bowsers provided by the Emergency Help Group managed to gain access to the fire.
Well done to the the City of Harare Fire Team once again for a great job and a big thank you to ZRP and the Emergency Help Group.
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