NYARUGENGE - It took the army, police and Kigali City Council three hours to put out a fire in one of Kigali’s busiest business centre Friday afternoon.

The fire, witnesses say, was caused by an electric short circuit at Adma International Ltd building in Quartier Mateus.

"We believe the fire was caused by an electric short circuit. Electricity was off and when it came back, it set the shop on fire,” said one city trader.

The flames spread to other shops destroying merchandise worth millions. Five shops were completely burnt to ashes.

Kigali Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, said the shops were vulnerable because many are squeezed  in one space.

When Sunday times visited the scene on Friday afternoon, thick smoke still hang in the air.

Boxes of sugar, salt, and baking powder, bottles of cooking oil cutlery, baby materials, mineral water and electric appliances lay on the roadside outside most of the shops on street.

A police officer who declined to be named said some traders had jerry cans containing fuel which helped spread the fire further.

Traders stood in total bewilderment as they tried to come to terms with the loss.

While a few had the opportunity to save some of their merchandise, others like Jacqueline Mukagatete and a Kenyan retailer and owner of ADMA International Limited, Peter Mwangi, lost everything.

"I cannot comment on anything, all I know is that all my merchandise is no more,” Mwangi said. Mukagatete’s merchandise was worth Frw40 million while Mwangi’s was estimated to be Frw200 million. The Mayor said the traders would be compensated by their respective insurance companies.

"A good number of the affected traders are insured and certainly the losses incurred will be compensated. However, there are some who never paid insurance and stand to lose out completely,” she said.

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