Thohoyandou town was covered by dark smoke on Sunday morning. This followed a fire that destroyed six shops in one of the complexes.
The mysterious fire left a trail of destruction worth millions of rands in its wake. Many shoppers who had come to make purchases were left stranded when they found their favourite shops on fire.
The fire-gutted shops at the Nemaorani Complex are just across the street opposite another complex that burnt in August last year. The Nyabele Mugeda complex that burnt last year belonged to the wealthy Rammbuda family of Thohoyandou.
The latest casualty, the Nemaorani complex, is owned by the Nemaorani family, a wealthy local farming family.
The cause of the fire is still subject to police investigation, but many who were at the scene suspect that an electrical fault could be the cause as it started in one of the shops and spread to other neighbouring shops.
The latest fire has sent alarm bells through the town that is known for mysterious fires with tenants at complexes not sure whether their businesses are safe or not. The fire burnt down six shops, which left their owners in a state of shock.
The fire was spotted by early morning shoppers who saw smoke above the roof of the building and notified one of the tenants who was about to open his shop on the other side of the complex. The businessman phoned the police, who informed the local fire brigade, who reacted swiftly.
With the scarcity of water in the town, firefighters battled for hours to extinguish the fire. They had to summon reinforcements from other stations, but that was still not enough as a lot of damage was caused.
Shopkeepers who arrived at the scene on time risked their lives and tried to salvage the little stock they could from the burning inferno. Some of the onlookers who pretended to help carry out the stock took the chance to steal as some were seen running away with looted stock.
Thulamela Business Forum's deputy chairperson, Mr Eddie Singo, said the fire was a big setback, not only to the owners, but also to the tenants, who had lost a lot of stock. "We are shattered as, time and again, there are fires in this town. People will remember the fire that burnt a huge complex next to Spare City a few years ago. Recently, the Nyabele Mugeda Complex was also gutted by fire. This means a loss of income and jobs for a lot of our people and we are urging the municipality to do inspections at buildings from time to time. Issues of safety should be taken seriously to save the town from going up in smoke," he said.
Limpopo police spokesperson Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed that they were investigating the burning of shops at the complex. "We have dispatched a team of forensic experts, who have taken over the scene. Our investigations are still continuing."
Anyone with information about this incident can contact Capt Richard Boshomane at 079 894 5501 or the nearest police station or the crime stop number 0860 010 111 or the SMS crime line at 32211.