Fire guts Chipadze Home Industry shops following g...

Fire guts Chipadze Home Industry shops following gas explosion

Zim Now Writer

A gas explosion has caused a fire that has gutted four shops at Chipadze Home Industry, leaving small businesses with losses worth thousands of US dollars. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when an LPG gas retailer was in the process of refilling a gas cylinder.

One person was injured in the fire, sustaining burns on the chest and legs. The four shops, which housed mechanics and hardware retailers, were completely destroyed.

“I don’t even know where to start. I had engines in my shop, gearboxes, and several other parts from people's cars since the cars were undergoing repairs, while some had been left for safekeeping," said one of the mechanics.

Another mechanic added: “The man who works in the shop we share just came out shouting, ‘Fire!’ and people didn’t even take him seriously. Then he went back inside. That’s when we realised there was a fire. He came out again and said he had forgotten his phone, but we stopped him as he was at the door. Just then, there was an explosion, and a burst of flames burnt him.”

The incident occurred at a time when the Mashonaland Central Environmental Management Agency has been raising awareness about the safe use of LPG gas and conducting a blitz on unlicensed gas retailers. Just a few days before the fire, close to 100 unlicensed gas retailers were fined, and some outlets were shut down for failing to meet regulations on LP gas wholesale and retail.

The EMA Publicity Officer, Maxwell Mupotsa, said in a telephone interview that the unfortunate incident occurred while the agency was engaged in awareness campaigns and enforcement actions. He urged all gas retailers to adhere to safety regulations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future