By Panashe Divine Karidzagundi
A devastating fire tore through Tshitaudze Flea Market on Tuesday night, reducing a large section of the traders’ groceries and merchandise to ashes in an incident that left vendors counting heavy losses.
And even as the fire raged, looters took to stage in the confusion breaking into storage facilities further inflicting losses even in areas the fire had not touched in a burning and looting melee.
Preliminary reports suggest the blaze was triggered during a Mujicipality of Beitbridge (MoB) operation targeting illegal fuel vendors.
Witnesses allege the traders fled the scene as officials from the MoB moved in, leading to a chain of events that sparked the inferno.
“It all happened so fast,” said one eyewitness.
“The fuel sellers were running away when one of them knocked into a gas tank that a woman was using for cooking. That’s when the fire started.”
The flames quickly spread across the densely packed flea market stalls, fueled by flammable goods and materials, making it difficult to contain the fire in its early stages.
The Beitbridge Fire Brigade responded to the scene, but sources on the ground said the team faced challenges due to limited water supplies.
Despite their swift response, a significant portion of the market had already been destroyed by the time the fire was brought under control.
No fatalities were reported and injuries, if any, remains unknown.
Local traders have been left devastated, with many losing their primary source of income.
“Everything is gone,” said one vendor. “We don’t know where to start again.”
Mashavire Flea Market is a vital trading hub in Beitbridge, supporting hundreds of small-scale vendors and serving as a key source of affordable goods for the community.
More details to follow as the story develops.