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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

HARARE City Council’s fire department has received 9 fire engines from Mr Peter Lobel through his Mudzimi We Moto organisation in a bid to improve fire safety.

Mr Lobel said he always wanted to find a way of giving back to his home country and he took action when a good friend of his tragically died in a domestic fire in 2011.

“The local fire brigade had responded with inadequate equipment and most of the water had leaked out of the fire truck on the way to the scene,” he said.

“We realised that there was a lack of fire equipment at the Fire Department and we decided to donate the fire engines. Most buildings were getting burnt because of the slowness in response and lack of adequate equipment and the Fire Department was failing to act on time resulting in loss of properties to fire.”

 Mr Neil and Theresa Bruce from Chisipite commended the Fire Brigade for doing a good job after they successfully contained a fire which engulfed their staff quarters.

“I would like to celebrate the Fire Department on their recent performance. Last night at 11:30 pm we were awoken abruptly to the staff quarters fully engulfed in flames roughly 6 metres high. I called the Fire Department who answered within three rings and the lady asked all the correct questions and rapidly dispatched a fire truck. This arrived at our house in about six to eight minutes from Greendale to Chisipite. Closely following was a second truck from Belvedere. No less than 12 fire fighters already dressed, attacked the fire and can you believe it, it came with the truck full of water. Within 20 minutes they had it contained and saved our laundry, garage and would then have been our house,” said Mr Bruce.