Fire guts Bulawayo's Fairy Cafe, gas cylinders fuel blaze

A pre-dawn fire tore through Fairy Café in Bulawayo, torching the shop and leaving officials scrambling to figure out what sparked it.

Fire rips through Fairy Café

• Fairy Café caught fire early Wednesday morning.
• Flames chewed through property, and losses remain uncounted.
• The blaze stayed confined to that single shop.
• Crews stopped it from jumping to other sections.

Chief fire officer details response

• Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mhlangano Moyo confirmed the distress call.
• Firefighters arrived to find the building fully engulfed.
• Teams battled heavy flames pushing in every direction.
• Containment efforts kept neighboring spaces from burning.

Possible cause under investigation

• Preliminary findings suggest equipment may have been left running overnight.
• Gas cylinders inside reportedly intensified the flames.
• Moyo said escaping gas fed the fire’s strength.
• Investigators are still working to pin down the trigger.

Solar panels were also examined

• About 30 solar panels were installed at the premises.
• Officials are checking whether the panels played any role.
• That angle remains part of the ongoing probe.
• Final conclusions have not yet been announced.