Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
PROPERTY worth US$150 thousand was destroyed after the Chaminuka Rural District Council offices at Adam’s Plot in Shamva Town were gutted fire on Monday night.
The fire which destroyed the administration belonging to Chaminuka Rural District Council was reported after midnight on Monday and fire fighters managed to save only the reception and registry offices.
“We called the Shamva fire team and Harare city but they only managed to get here after 2.am. The fire affected the finance and HR departments,” noted the RDC’s Chairperson Councillor. Nevson Zvizhinji.
Government has recommended construction of new offices as well as investment in fire tenders as this is the second such incident in Shamva in recent months after Shamva hospital pharmacy was extensively damaged by fire last year.
“I do not think we will be reconstructing these offices because already the structure is weak so we will be working on putting together a new structure altogether,” said Shamva District Development Co-ordinator Mr. Clever Machekera.
Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Senator Monica Mavhunga added, “I would like to urge local authorities to invest in fire tenders. Here fire tenders arrived late and the damage had been done already. Last year we also had a similar fire incident.”
An electrical fault is believed to have triggered the fire but investigations are underway to ascertain the exact cause.
