A violent fire broke out last night, August 21, at the Matadi Kibala market in the Mont Ngafula commune in Kinshasa, destroying a large part of the market and the plank depots. Unfortunately, all of the merchants’ goods were consumed in the flames.
According to the market administrator, Pellet Bofini, the origin of the fire is still unknown. Investigations are underway to determine the causes of this devastating disaster. At this time, it is difficult to say for sure what started the fire.
The provisional assessment drawn up by the administrator shows 45 houses completely burnt out of the 57 initially present on the market. Only 12 houses were spared the flames. Moreover, of the 480 tables that were installed, only 100 could be saved. Some goods were also stolen during the chaos of the fire. The municipal authorities are in the process of drawing up a complete inventory of the damage.
Fortunately, no human loss or serious injury was reported during this fire. However, the material damage is considerable and the traders who have lost everything will have to face a difficult situation.
This tragic incident is a reminder of the importance of safety and fire prevention in commercial spaces. It is essential to put adequate security measures in place and to make merchants aware of the importance of respecting security rules to avoid such disasters.
While awaiting the results of the investigations into the causes of the fire, it is essential to support the affected traders by providing them with material and financial assistance so that they can recover quickly from this disaster. The solidarity of the local community and the authorities is essential to help these traders overcome this ordeal and rebuild their activities.
Let’s hope that concrete measures will be taken to avoid such incidents in the future and to ensure the safety of markets and traders in Kinshasa