Veld Fire, Destroys, family Lodges And Public Toilets At Great Zimbabwe National Monuments Site

PROPERTY worth thousands of dollars was destroyed in a veld fire that ravaged the Great Zimbabwe national monuments on Monday.

The inferno reduced three Great Zimbabwe family lodges and two public toilets located at the historical site to ashes.

The fire broke out near Masvingo rural district council offices, some 5 km south of the monuments in the afternoon.

Great Zimbabwe monuments site regional manager Lovemore Mandima said the swift response by the Masvingo City Council fire department saved a catastrophe at the historical site.

He said the inferno threatened to wipe out the entire monuments after villagers and staff had failed to control the fire.

He said the area has over 20 fire guards but the fire spread across rapidly owing to strong winds that blew across Masvingo yesterday.

“The Shona village, great enclosure, museum and the conical tour are safe there was no damage on the actual monuments.

“If it was not a quick response from the Masvingo fire department we could be saying a different story now,” Mandima said.

He added that they are still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the inferno.

Although the cause of the fire could not be established by mid-Tuesday morning villagers around the area believe that the fire was started by a food vendor who threw burning ashes near the rural district council offices.source-newzimbabwe