Mthunzini Bazaar is one of the busiest supermarkets in Jabavu and it burned to the ground between Friday and Saturday night. The cause of the raging fire is not known yet, the fire was noticed around 10:30 pm when it was exploding already, the neighbours tried to extinguish it but it was too strong according to Monde Xaba who’s a nearby resident.
Xaba said, “Around 10:30 pm on Friday the fire was already raging unstoppably. The community did their best to help but the explosions repelled them.”
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived approximately an hour after the fire had already blown the roof of the building. Dieketseng Ntlotsoeu called the EMS three times, according to her they said they would arrive after she called for the first time but an hour later they hadn’t arrived, she called for the second time and her call was diverted, they only arrived 20 minutes after her third call.
Ntlotsoeu said, “The community did their best but the fire was just too much for them.”
Thabo Mhlongo of the supermarket said, “We do not have an idea of what happened, the stoves were off and nothing can be pinpointed as the cause of the fire.”
The supermarket lost almost all the stock and furniture.
