Fire guts Mwanza market

Property worth K16 million ($28,571) has been lost in a fire that gutted Mwanza market on Monday night.

District Commissioner for Mwanza, Gift Rapozo, said they were yet to establish the cause of the inferno.

However, he said unconfirmed reports indicate that the fire originated from the district hospital’s guardian shelters constructed close to the market.

“We are still investigating but what we are sure of is that the fire was not caused by an electrical fault. No person was injured in the incident,” said Rapozo.

According to Rapozo, authorities at the district council had an emergency meeting today and agreed to move the guardian shelter away from the market.

“We have also agreed to talk with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development so that it facilitates the enactment of by-laws on market safety which were set some time back,” said Rapozo.

Malawi has seen an increase in market fires in recent months with Mzuzu main market experiencing the tragedy three times since April last year.