Kanyama residents of Lusaka have been reported to have damaged one of the fire trucks after the fire brigade team rushed to the area on a reported fire incident that occurred on October 20, 2019 around 22:00 hrs.
The fire brigade received a call from a concerned resident that one of the houses around Kanyama’s Shula area was on fire and in the process of quenching the fire, residents turned violent and began to damage the fire truck with some glass windows left shattered.
Lusaka City Council – LCC told ZBT that its saddened by the damage of one of its fire trucks by some residents in Kanyama stating that the hostility being exhibited towards Council officials on flimsy grounds during their conduct of duty is not healthy.
LCC Public Relations Manager George Sichimba has confirmed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that the fire truck and a team of fire fighters was immediately dispatched to the scene, but upon arrival it was discovered that what was on fire was the Zesco transformer and not the house.
Sichimba said the team managed to quench the fire but no sooner than they did that residents who came to witness the incident started pelting stones at the officers and equipment demanding that fire fighters should restore electricity supply in the area and accused them of contributing to the Zesco load shedding in the area.
“The incident resulted in the wind screen of the cabin crew of the fire truck being shattered and three fire fighters sustaining injuries. The team, however, managed to flee from the scene with the help of state police. Kanyama residents know very well that it is not within the mandate of the fire brigade to restore supply of electricity neither do they have anything to do with load shedding,” he said.
He has since reminded residents that the mandate of the fire brigade is to save lives and property from fire and fire related incidences wherever and whenever duty calls and the Authority is therefore appealing to all Lusaka residents to refrain from acts of violence and destruction towards Council officials and property.He added that residents should instead work with the Council to safeguard Council properties for public good.
Some LCC sympathizers based in Kanyama stated that the area is considered a stronghold for the opposition and this incident is politically motivated and meant to embarrass the government and its local authorities.
