By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Fire swept through the Tontozo St Ann’s Family Funeral Plan shop at Manyama market in Kalumbila District, North-western Province, destroying coffins worth an unknown amount.
Kalumbila District Commissioner Brenda Sankisa said in an interview at the scene that she was informed around 07:00hrs that Manyama shopping center was on fire, and when she arrived, she found that some of the coffins had been gutted.
“The cause of the fire is believed to be burning tyres stored behind the Tontozo Shop,” she said. The total cost of the damage is not yet known.
Edward Chinga, an employee at the tyre shop, explained that he received a call about the fire and rushed to the scene to find five tyres had been gutted.
They informed firefighters from Kalumbila Town Council, who later received assistance from Barrick Lumwana Copper Mine and Kosco Firefighters to put out the fire. However, some coffins had already been destroyed.
Chinga disclosed that they stored old tyres behind the coffin shop, where bees were present, and it is believed that people trying to extract honey from the bees may have caused the fire.
An eyewitness, Vincent Nyanduka, said the fire started around 05:00hrs. “The fire started at the corner of the shop, possibly due to people smoking near the tyres,” he said.
The eyewitness also mentioned the presence of bees and the attempt to extract honey, which may have led to the fire. The local authority fire department was eventually informed, and they extinguished the fire.
North-western Province Police Commanding Officer, Peacewell Mweemba, has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
