Gwanda, Zimbabwe | This afternoon, the Gwanda Fire Brigade faced an uphill battle to extinguish a Toyota Runx that caught fire outside Gwanda city center, near the NSSA complex along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
The incident, which left onlookers both shocked and disappointed, highlighted challenges in the fire department’s operational readiness.
The vehicle, traveling from Beitbridge and headed for Gwanda, reportedly developed a mechanical fault. The driver sought the assistance of a mechanic, but as repairs were underway, the car suddenly went up in flames. Thick smoke and roaring flames soon engulfed the vehicle, attracting a crowd of onlookers.
When the Gwanda Fire Brigade arrived at the scene, their efforts to douse the flames were hampered by a malfunctioning rear water pump on their fire truck. With no immediate solution available, the team had to improvise in an unconventional and somewhat alarming manner.
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A well-meaning bystander offered the team a small dish, which they used to scoop and transfer water to the scene. The firefighters then relied on a suction hose to collect water from the dish in their attempt to bring the fire under control. Despite their ingenuity, the fire had already consumed most of the vehicle, leaving little to salvage.
Ndiyo Belarus fire fighting truck here 🤫🫢🤔 pic.twitter.com/PvG4CeHlLn
— Zimleague🇺🇬🇿🇼@119k (@zimleague) November 19, 2024
The incident sparked criticism from onlookers, who expressed disappointment at the state of the local fire brigade’s equipment. Many questioned how the team could be so ill-prepared for emergencies, especially along a busy route like the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
“It was heartbreaking to watch. You expect a fire brigade to be equipped to handle such situations, not scrambling to borrow a dish to fight a fire,” said one witness.
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