3 trucks burnt at Kasumbalesa

MELODY MUPETA
Kitwe
THREE trucks including goods loaded on them worth millions of Kwacha have been destroyed after fire swept through Kasumbalesa truck parking space in Chililabombwe on Monday night.
Chililabombwe District Commissioner Precious Njekwa said two of the burnt trucks are foreign while one is Zambian. Two trucks were carrying sulphur while one had 36 drums of extraction reagents.
The three trucks were all destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.
“We had a fire response from DRC, the mines and local authorities who helped out in putting out the fire,” Ms Njekwa said.
She said the fire was only put out around 24:00 hours because the border has no fire engine and team stationed at the border.
Ms Njekwa said authorities have since instituted investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire and full extent of the damages caused.
Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) national coordinator Gabriel Pollen, who visited the site yesterday, said DMMU will work closely with stakeholders in putting mechanisms in place that can quickly respond to calamities at the border.
“We need to have mechanisms in place that will save lives and prevent damage to property as it can negatively affect the economy,” Dr Pollen said..