Fire destroys 13 stalls at Singida central market
What you need to know:
- The cause of the fire remains unknown as investigations by the Fire and Rescue Force, in collaboration with the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), are still underway.
Singida. A fire whose cause is still unknown has destroyed 13 stalls inside Singida's Central Market, damaging property whose value has yet to be established.
According to Singida Regional Police Commander Amon Kakwale, the fire started around 10PM, and thanks to early alerts, emergency responders were able to arrive promptly and prevent further damage. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
“A significant portion of traders’ belongings were salvaged,” said Commander Kakwale. “We received the report in time and responded quickly. The fire did not cause any harm to people, and we managed to rescue many items from the surrounding stalls. Security at the site has since been strengthened.”
The cause of the fire remains unknown as investigations by the Fire and Rescue Force, in collaboration with the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), are still underway.
While the affected stalls suffered major losses, traders and local residents worked together to contain the fire and move goods to safety.
Commander Kakwale commended both the Fire and Rescue team and the community for their swift cooperation during the incident.
A trader at the market, Jakobo Annamlingi, said although the fire itself did not reach many of the stalls, panic led people to dismantle their structures to prevent the flames from spreading.
“People rushed to move their items in disarray, which led to the loss and breakage of some goods,” he said. “Fortunately, the fire started relatively early in the night, and when the alert was raised, firefighters arrived on time and found many of us already trying to help.”
A food vendor, Anastazia Mkumbo, said the incident caused losses as some stalls had to be broken down to prevent them from catching fire.
She noted that there was no theft or looting in the area thanks to the large number of police officers who stayed overnight guarding the site, but fear had driven people to break down stalls and remove electrical wiring meaning repairs will now be needed.
