Tenants at the shopping centre and the owner of the
complex, Europe-based Ms Irene Musesengwa, were left counting huge losses as
nothing was salvaged from the inferno.
Efforts to get a comment from Ms Musesengwa were fruitless.
Max Village was home to several businesses such as bars,
butcheries, grocer shops, salons, restaurants and churches, among others.
The Manica Post understands that no meaningful efforts were
made to put out the fire as people watched from a distance for their own
safety.
Rusape Town Council failed to dispatch their ramshackle
fire tender as it is reportedly down.
They had to deploy an ambulance and a tractor-drawn water
bowser and an angry mob chased the vehicle away.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started from a
restaurant before spreading to the rest of the building.
A butchery operator, Mr Carlos Kabungaidze said he lost
everything he has worked for in his life as he was not insured, just like his
peers.
He estimated his total loss to be around US$17 000.
“It is a huge loss to us. We lost all our investments. No
one was able to salvage anything because the fire started when we were home. We
do not know where to start from, we are down and devastated. We were not
insured.
“Personally, I have lost investments worth around US$17
000. All my equipment and stock is gone. However, we live everything in God’s
hands so that we can rise again,” said the distraught businessman.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector
Norbert Muzondo said investigations are underway to establish the cause of the
fire and ascertain the value lost.
“On July 16, an informant reported a fire incident at Max
Village which houses several businesses. All shops were closed by that time,
except for three bars. Smoke coming out of one of the shops was spotted. Bar
tenders and their patrons fled from the complex for their own safety.
“Fire Brigade was called to put out the fire, but did not
come. The value of the property destroyed is yet to be ascertained and
investigations are now in full swing,” said Inspector Muzondo.
According to a Rusape Town Council fire incident report
prepared by the chief fire officer, Mr Kelvin Wona, which The Manica Post has
in its possession, the local authority said the fire could have been caused by
an electrical fault.
“Having been informed by a resident of the fire incident,
we attended the scene in our ambulance as our fire tender is down. We
ascertained that the fire had originated from Shop Number Three, which is a
takeaway.
“It may have been caused by an electrical fault. We
assisted in every way possible and made sure that shops and the surrounding
residential buildings were not affected. There were no casualties.
“The roof was completely destroyed by the fire as it was
made of highly flammable material. Due to lack of wire mesh lining inside the
complex and flame retardant, we could not salvage any contents in the shops at
the complex.
“An angry mob at the scene disturbed our efforts to
properly set our equipment at the incident as they threatened to burn our
ambulance, tractor drawn bowser and equipment,” reads part of the statement.
Manica Post
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