APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – A massive fire has gutted several shops in a market of Nyamagabe, a district in Southern Rwanda, destroying goods and property, a police spokesperson in the region confirmed to APA on Saturday.
Superintendent Emmanuel Habiyaremye, the spokesperson of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) in Southern Province said that the affected market of Kigeme in Nyamagabe district was not open for business at the time the fire broke out.
“The exact cause of the fire, which broke out around 1:50 a.m. local time (11.00 pm GMT), has not been ascertained,” Superintendent Habiyaremye said.
Several local residents confirmed to APA via telephone that the fire, spreading to neighbouring residential areas, sent thick plumes of smoke into the air visible at least several kilometers away in the wee hours of Saturday.
The disaster has brought new attention to safety conditions in the East African country’s booming trading sector.
In May last year, at least 130 businesses were asked to close and relocate after the popular artisanal market located in Gisozi, a hill overlooking Kigali city was gutted by fire.
In February last year, a fire broke out in the same popular market that deals in timber, furniture, carpentry items and other construction materials.
Part of the then affected section was previously burnt by a fire in August 2021 and investigations showed that it had resulted from a short circuit due to overloading and poor electrical installation.
CU/as/APA