Raging blaze destroys textile factory

Morogoro. Properties at 21st Century Textiles Ltd, whose value are not established, were destroyed by fire, which broke out early yesterday and lasted for over six hours.

According to the company’s manager, Mr Clement Munisi, the fire broke out at around midnight after a spinning mill exploded. Attempts to contain the fire by workers, who were on duty did not bear any significant fruit.

Mr Munisi explained that the loss caused by the fire could not immediately be established although some bails containing clothing materials for manufacturing khanga, vitenge and bed sheets had been saved.

For his part, Morogoro Fire Brigade commander Ramadhani Pilipili said the fire took long to extinguished because of the textile’s infrastructure did not conform to fire calamities.

“Legally, a textile is supposed to be fitted with water pipe taps atop the roof as in case of a fire outbreak the taps are opened so that water could flow down like rain. But here we failed because the fire started inside the factory,” Mr Pilipili said.

He said they were forced to pull down the textile’s wall and roof so that they could reach the fire’s starting point, which was not easy at all.

The fire brigade commander added that the police also played a big role in extinguishing the raging fire using a water cannon, which is normally used against rioters.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, some workers of the textile said the machine that caused the fire had several times been giving out sparks and breaking down.

As the fire was still raging, the textile leadership, the police and security guards were seen beefing up security in and outside the textile in order to ensure all properties were safe.

21st Century Textiles Ltd, which was established in the 1980s, is one of the textile industries privatised by the government.