Fire destroys over 100 stalls in Quelimane market

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Fire destroys over 100 stalls in Quelimane market

7:49 CAT | 10 Mar 2016

A fire swept through a major market in the central Mozambican city of Quelimane in the small hours of Tuesday morning, destroying over 100 stalls, and the livelihoods of many of the stallholders.

According to a report on the independent television station STV, the stalls were mostly selling clothing, shoes, and electrical appliances. It is suspected that the fire was started by a short circuit.

The Fae market is located on the outskirts of Quelimane, and the fire brigade found it difficult to approach the interior of the sprawling market. The fire brigade only had one fire engine available, and this was insufficient to cope with the blaze. Other fire fighters were called to assist, from Quelimane airport, and from Cornelder, the company that runs the port of Quelimane.

Stallholders who had lost all that they possessed were in tears as they spoke to STV. Some depended on their stalls to raise the money they needed for such items as school fees.

The mayor of Quelimane, Manuel de Araujo, visited the market later on Tuesday, and explained that the fire was also a blow to the municipal council. The fees paid by the stallholders were a major source of income for Quelimane council.

Araujo expressed his solidarity with the ruined stallholders, and promised to see what kind of support the municipality could provide.

He was angered that some members of the public and even policemen, far from helping the victims of the fire, made matters worse by looting some of the property that the flames had not touched.

Source: AIM