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Midlands Correspondent
A wildfire which started at Mkoba Hall area last week destroyed a wooden cabin at Mkoba 1 Clinic which housed clinic records.

Gweru City Council health director Mr Sam Sekenhamo said the council fire section managed to quickly respond and put out the fire before it got to the main clinic building.

“’One of the wooden cabins which contained some clinic records was gutted by fire and our fire section managed to quickly respond and put out the fire,” he said.

“It was a grass fire which started from the Mkoba Hall section. The main clinic is intact.”

Mr Sekenhamo said the wooden cabin was closer to the fence which separated the clinic and the hall.

Residents have blamed the incident on alleged poor management of council property.

“A fire outbreak was meant to erupt from the council hall area because grass cutting is rarely done,” said Martha Nechombo who resides near the hall.

“We have often reported to our local councillor to oversee the maintenance of grass cutting by the council employees, but nothing has been done.

“In any case, the hall itself is also poorly maintained because there are no locks to keep the building safe and secure.”

Another fire outbreak was also experienced at Mkoba 10 Shopping Centre last week when a gas deep fryer was left on, but was put out before it had spread out.

The EMA has called on people to stop starting unnecessary fires as the country is now at the peak of the fire season.

The fires quickly get uncontrollable during this season due to high winds and dry grass.