Lovemore Meya Herald Reporter
STOCK worth thousands of United States dollars went up in smoke yesterday after a raging fire gutted OK warehouse in Graniteside. Kitchenware, groceries, clothes among other goods were reduced to ash in the inferno. No one was injured.  OK

Zimbabwe, Marketing Manager, Ms Chipo Mashingaidze, said the cause of the fire was still to be established.
“I actually do not have a clue as to what started the fire, but we are still working on it. Once the fire Brigade team is done our investigative team will enter the building to find out what really happened,” she said.

However, a security guard identified as John, who was at the scene, suspected the fire could have been started by an electrical fault.

“The fire started around 12.30pm when I witnessed a cloud of dark smoke curling up through the rooftop,” he said.

“ I suspect the cause of the fire might be an electrical fault which went on to set alight some pallets dotted around the warehouse’s walls.”
People from different parts of Harare rushed to the scene with some claiming to have seen the fire from as far as Mabvuku, Highfield and other places.

The crowd, which had become rowdy, was dispersed from the company’s premises by management who feared the walls to the building were almost collapsing.
When the Herald visited the scene, the Fire Brigade was still battling to put out the fire.
Warren Park resident Mr Jivas Musariri castigated the Fire Brigade’s fire-fighting equipment.

“This is very awkward, the trucks they have brought are too small to put out the fire and the distance at which they are stationed is far from the building. It is not supposed to be like that, actually they should have brought the ones with ladders so that they can reach out to the flames. Now what they are trying to achieve is a big challenge,” he said.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau said they were still to receive a full report on the cause of the fire.
“I am just getting into the office and I have not yet received any information leading to the cause of the fire. At the moment it is difficult to ascertain the cause since we only wait to hear from fire expects, so it is hard to tell how the fire started,” said Inspector Sabau.

Recently, Ok Zimbabwe branch in Kwekwe temporarily closed its branch after a fire caused extensive damage to the shop’s electrical system, with documents and stock worth thousands of dollars lost.