Blantyre City Council (BCC) has assured vendors in the city that it will find ways of protecting markets from fires so that the small businesses progress without hurdles as they contribute hugely to the country’s economy.

Deputy mayor for Blantyre, Wild Ndipo, said this on Thursday in Limbe during a meeting between the vendors and the council which was organised by Fire Risk Management Centre (FRMC), a non-governmental Organisation whose aim is to civic-educate people and institutions on how to prevent fire accidents.

Blantyre and Limbe markets, from where the vendors were drawn, are some of the markets that have experienced market fire accidents in recent years.

Ndipo said the coming of councillors will help the council to easily protect markets against fires.

“Many problems in the city were as a result of absence of councilors. But now that councillors are in place, I can assure you, vendors, that we will strategise on how to protect the markets from fires,” said Ndipo as he responded to vendors’ complaint that the council does not civic-educate the vendors on how to deal with fire.

Blantyre Flea Market president Himon Amanu bemoaned lack of skills among vendors in how to deal with fire in the markets. He also complained that markets have no fire extinguishers.

“The problem is not only lack of the skills but also equipment to extinguish the fire. In other public places, there is equipment to extinguish fire as they wait for main fire extinguishers from the city council. We want the same to happen in our markets,” said Amanu.

Ndipo said BCC will soon hold another meeting to discuss with vendors on how the two parties can work together to ensure that markets are protected from fire accidents.

FRMC training and marketing coordinator, Dryhcon Namtupa, said the organisation will continue bringing councils and vendors together so that the two parties can discuss issues about market fires.

“We have started with Blantyre vendors and soon we will be in Zomba, Lilongwe, Mzuzu cities and other districts. We are happy that corporate world seems willing to help us with resources in carrying these activities. For example, Kanjedza Lodge helped us with free conference room for the meeting with vendors in Limbe. We urge other organisations to do the same so that markets in Malawi are safe at all times,” said Namtupa.