{Two commercial houses and a currency exchange office got afire last night around 8:00 pm in Rusizi city, Kamembe sector.}
Some witness who were at the scene when the incident occurred say that property worth millions have been destroyed. There was delay of emergence help but residents afforded to combine efforts and contained the fire, saving other commercial buildings in proximity.
“Power went off and when reconnected, I saw smoke billowing out with undulating motion to the sky. Soldiers whistled loud and prohibited us from approaching the inferno .The fire extinguisher was brought after 40 minutes. More things would have been saved if the fire extinguisher reached the ground before,” said Emmanuel Simbarikure.
“Even though the intervention was delayed, items from the second commercial house have been saved,” added Jean de Dieu Bimenyimana another witness.
The two burnt shops served as wholesaler of shoes, food crops including rice, juice and water. As eye witnesses informed IGIHE, the cash from the currency exchange office was rescued.
Anicet Gashamura whose shop was completely razed down said that the commercial house contained items worth Rwf 120 million with no insurance of his merchandise. Besides, he lamented, he is servicing a Rwf 30 million bank loan.
Until now the cause of the fire has not been established but residents think intermittent power supplies caused the fire outbreak.
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