The fire broke out in the afternoon and spread across several floors, eventually engulfing the entire building, according to residents who spoke to IGIHE.
One resident said the fire was first noticed on the fifth floor, where tailors and second-hand clothing traders operate.
“The fire started on the fifth floor, and it is still burning,” the resident said.
As the fire spread, traders and other occupants fled the building, while some traders broke down in tears after seeing their merchandise go up in flames.
Residents said the cause of the fire was initially unknown. However, information obtained by IGIHE later indicated that it may have started during welding work inside the building before spreading to other sections.
The flames reached highly combustible materials, including clothes, mattresses, oils and plastic products, accelerating the spread of the fire.
By 4:30 p.m., the fire had spread across the fourth and fifth floors as the Rwanda National Police’s Fire and Rescue Brigade worked to extinguish it.
A resident told IGIHE that traders operating on the upper floors were particularly concerned about the scale of their losses.
“People are distressed, understandably, because they have lost their property. I suspect those operating upstairs, where the fire started, will not be able to salvage anything,” the resident said.
At around 5 p.m., the fire appeared to have subsided in the area where it had started, with smoke remaining visible. However, the situation subsequently deteriorated as the flames spread to the lower floors.
By 5:25 p.m., a resident told IGIHE that the first floor had also caught fire.
“All the floors are burning, including the first floor, which has also caught fire. There are four fire engines,” the resident said.
The resident added that banks operating on the lower floors had also been affected.
At around 6 p.m., another resident reported that efforts to extinguish the fire were proving difficult, with a bank branch, an insurance company and a supermarket among the businesses reportedly affected.
“The fire is still very intense. The market sells clothes and plastic products, which are fuelling the flames. The entire market sells clothes, mattresses and plastic items,” the resident said.
The Rwanda Energy Group (REG) had cut off electricity to the building as a precaution against further damage, according to the resident.
By 6:33 p.m., the fire was still burning throughout the building, raising fears that it could continue into the night.
“The entire building is burning. There is nowhere that has been spared. The firefighters are still trying, although they have not been able to save anything,” the resident said.
With the building engulfed in flames, attention shifted to preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring structures. Large crowds had gathered around the market to watch the incident, prompting security personnel to ask people to leave the area as night fell.
The fire also disrupted traffic along the Musanze-Kigali road as people evacuated the building and others gathered at the scene. Police officers reportedly regulated the flow of vehicles to reduce the risk of accidents.
The Rwanda National Police confirmed that its Fire and Rescue Brigade had arrived at the scene in a message posted on X.
“The Police Fire and Rescue Brigade has arrived at the scene,” the police stated.
At around 7:24 p.m., a resident told IGIHE that the fire remained intense and that security personnel were directing people away from the building.
The number of people injured or otherwise affected by the incident had not been established by around 8 p.m.
IGIHE contacted Musanze District Mayor Claudien Nsengimana for information about the cause of the fire, but he said he would provide an update later.
About Musanze Market
Musanze Market was built in 2017 by GOICO (Gorilla Investment Company), a company bringing together 89 private investors from Musanze District. The project cost approximately Rwf7.5 billion.
The multi-storey building houses businesses selling a range of goods, including clothing, electronic equipment and other merchandise. It also accommodates banks and supermarkets.
More than 1,550 traders operate in the market, which receives an estimated 25,000 visitors daily.
Leave a Reply