By Nyasha Chuma
Multiple fire departments, including Green Fuels and Hippo Valley, were called Monday to help respond to 1 221 000kg of burning cotton lint worth US$2,5 million at Checheche growth point in Chipinge.
There has been no indication yet as to the cause of the fire.
Chipinge South Member of Parliament Enock Porusingazi said “preliminary indications are that it may take them two to three days to completely extinguish the fire.”
Cottco Managing Director, Pious Manamike said the fire, which was detected first by a truck driver started early Monday morning.
Fire tenders from Green Fuels and Hippo Valley tried to extinguish the fire but to no avail as they were inhibited by strong winds during that time.
“Preliminary assessment indicates that the Company has lost about 1 221 000kg of cotton lint that was ready for export at an estimated value of US$2, 500 000. A forklift was also lost in the inferno. The fire is still raging on as firefighters continue with their efforts to completely extinguish the fire,” he said.
The destroyed bales belonged to four companies – Cottco, Consolidated Cotton of Zimbabwe, Shawasha Cotton and Southern Cotton, which hire the Parrogate ginnery to process the lint for export.
The myriad of small fibers that make up the cotton bale and cover its surface make it particularly vulnerable to many sources of ignition as well as to rapid combustion.
