The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has determined that a fire which destroyed 40 decommissioned coaches at its main station in Bulawayo in September may have been caused by a cigarette stub left by an employee, reported <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/cigarette-stub-started-fire-that-destroyed-decommissioned-coaches-worth-us40000-nrz/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>.
Initially, the parastatal suspected foul play, as the incident followed another fire involving coaches in Harare, raising suspicions of arson.
However, NRZ general manager Respina Zinyanduko, appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts, revealed that internal investigations suggest the fire was likely caused by a discarded cigarette stub. She said:
<blockquote>
The initial report that I got from loss control as well as the report I got from a commission of inquiry that we set, it constituted of different departments of NRZ has indicated that it could be a fire was as a result of some employees, because we do not allow some people to smoke at work, some employees could have taken shelter in those coaches trying to hide and smoking a bit.
One of them might have left a stub that was still burning and there was the wind; it then resulted in the spread of fire.
</blockquote>
Zinyanduko told the Committee that the decommissioned coaches had surpassed their operational lifespan and were awaiting disposal as scrap.
Due to the fire, the NRZ incurred a loss of US$40,000 in the value of these coaches. Said Zinyanduko:
<blockquote>
The value that was lost was minimal because we had taken the seats from these coaches and they were fitted to those which were operational.
These were more like shells that were parked to be refurbished in the future or disposed of.
The value that was there was on the scrap value of the assets, I examined the coaches one by one myself and they are still in a condition in which we can dispose of them as scrap metal.
Those coaches in our books were carrying a value of about US$1,000 each because they were just shells.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

A fire destroyed 40 old train coaches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. At first, people thought it was done on purpose, but it turns out it might have been caused by a cigarette stub left by an employee. The train company, NRZ, lost $40,000 because of the fire, but the coaches were old and already useless. The company had plans to dispose of them as scrap. It was a big loss, but not as big as it could have been.

Discarded Cigarette Stub May Have Caused Fire That Destroyed 40 NRZ Coaches In Bulawayo

The Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers Union (ZARWU) has strongly condemned the suspected arson attacks on National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) premises in Bulawayo and Harare.
According to NRZ, a fire on September 16, 2024, at the Bulawayo mechanical workshops destroyed 44 decommissioned passenger coaches. On September 18, three coaches were set ablaze at the Harare shunters’ complex.
In a statement released on Friday, September 20, ZARWU General Secretary Nhamo Bepete characterised the incidents as well-coordinated acts of arson. He said:
<blockquote>
These two incidents appeared to be well-coordinated arson attacks on this national asset. It must be noted that for whatever reason these attacks are meant for, ZARWU condemns in the strongest terms such shameful, archaic and barbaric acts meant to harm our national asset. In fact, such retrogressive acts must not be allowed to take place in our lifetime, not again.
We strongly believe that these attacks are meant to water down the achievements that the NRZ Board and Management have made in their quest to recapitalise and modernise our Railway system.
Furthermore, the Railway Industry has been enjoying a generally peaceful environment under the stewardship of the General Manager Ms. R Zinyanduko who has from the time of her appointment utilised social dialogue with social partners to develop the Railways.
As workers, we want to re-affirm our resolve and commitment to protect this national asset which was created out of our forefathers’ blood and sweat.
Thousands of workers draw their livelihoods from NRZ and surely thousands of workers can not just stand aside and watch this existential threat to our livelihoods unfolding without taking appropriate lawful actions to assist the police in their investigations.
</blockquote>
ZARWU has called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to intensify their investigations into the suspected arson incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

The Workers Union is very upset about fires at train stations in Zimbabwe. They say it was on purpose to harm the train system. They think it's bad and want the police to find who did it and punish them. The Union thinks the train system has been doing well and doesn't want it ruined. They want to protect their jobs and the trains that their ancestors worked hard to build. The police are being asked to do a good job in finding the people who started the fires.

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