By 
Fire erupted at a shopping mall located at the corner of Julius Nyerere and Speke Avenue opposite Joina City last night, the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault.
Retail businesses, pharmacies, salons, and clothing stores were destroyed. Some of the tenants declined to comment as they were overcome with emotions while others said they needed to try and salvage something, even though the fire was raging viciously.
The fire brigade was at the scene to extinguish the flame, but most of the wares on all floors were destroyed. A woman who had lived in the building for long, said: “It hurts. I can’t even put it into words.
“My husband is still inside, trying to save whatever little he can. But we have lost so much already. All we managed to salvage were a few beds, stoves, and blankets”, said Annah Mubaiwa, a vendor who worked nearby.
“It all happened so fast. First, we heard the sound of breaking windows, and then there was this huge flame. I can’t even describe how I felt at that moment”, she said.
A man who preferred to be called Baba Anesu said: “I guess goods worth millions of dollars have been destroyed because the mall was recently partitioned to accommodate many businesses.”
The smell of smoke and ash hung in the air, the sound of sirens echoing through the streets of Harare, as the once-thriving shopping mall brought pain to tenants. Many people gathered to witness the fire. A huge explosion is suspected to be a gas stove.
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