“ZRP Harare Central Offices Engulfed in Devastating Inferno!”
A fire erupted in the basement of the Harare Police Station early on Sunday, putting critical evidence for criminal trials at risk in one of the rooms.
The fire, which was reported around 1 AM, engulfed several rooms in the Harare Central complex.
Firefighters Arrive Without Water, Air Force of Zimbabwe Assists
According to a source, the responding firefighters from the Harare Fire Brigade arrived at the scene without water, leaving them unable to combat the flames effectively, ZimLive reports.
The absence of fire hydrants at the station forced the police to call for assistance from the Air Force of Zimbabwe, who promptly dispatched their firefighters with water tankers.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:
“The ZRP reports an unfortunate incident where there was a fire starting from around midnight where some rooms at the Harare Central complex which houses several police sections including the Office of the Officer Commanding the Province, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), and others was engulfed by flames.
“We’re now conducting investigations with a view of finding out what actually transpired. We’re still assessing the amount of damage which was caused by the fire. We’re also trying to check what was contained in some of the rooms which were burnt. We will issue a detailed statement in due course.”
The Harare Central Police Station had been operating on generator power since Thursday due to an electric fault.
Possible Criminal Motive: Fire Engulfs CID Stores’ Exhibits Room
The publication further reports that the exhibits room in the CID Stores is known to contain a wide range of recovered stolen items, including cash and gas tanks.
It is alleged that a substantial amount of cash, totaling US$39,000, was recently booked into the exhibit room following the arrest of a suspect.
