Police fire fighters yesterday moved swiftly to put out a fire that threatened to raze a week-old bar and restaurant in the busy commercial centre of Kisementi in Remera.

Kigali Central Police spokesperson, Modeste Mbabazi, said the inferno was caused by sparks from metal-welding works at the newly opened Canaberra Bar and Restaurant. 

The week-old bar is located on the stone-paved road off the roundabout near Chez Lando Hotel.

"I saw smoke coming from the wall and I alerted the welder. We tried to put out the fire but it spread very fast and overwhelmed us,” one of the employees at the bar said.

Apparently, a welder was setting up support for a sound-proof system when flaring sparks fell on and ignited the spongy material used in sound proofing.

"The fire fighters arrived in 20 minutes with four fire engines and were able to put out the fire and saved some property,” Mbabazi said. 

The fire had however gutted the entire bar section of the business by the time Police Fire Brigade arrived. Mbabazi encouraged business owners to invest in firefighting equipment to protect their property.

This incident comes after recent spate of fires in the country that destroyed several business premises, prison detention facilities and at least one health centre.