Property worth billions of kwacha has been destroyed in a fire that gutted Radio Phoenix recording Studio on the 13th floor of ZIMCO House today.
The cause of the inferno, which swept through studio this afternoon, had not been established by press time.
Fire fighters had a tough time to put off the inferno in a bid to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the building.
Senior Maintenance Officer, George Chisanga, who was present at the scene, said the three fire tenders were rushed to the scene, but fire fighters struggled in reaching the affected floor due to lack of a long path for connecting the water pipes.
Lusaka city council LCC spokesperson, Henry Kapata, regretted that the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company had not put up hydrants in strategic places but that only One hydrant fire engine was available around the building.
He further noted that it was difficult for the council to assist as they only depend on grants to sustain themselves as a council.
Efforts to get a comment from Radio Phoenix management failed.
ZANIS/ENDS/AH/SJK
This is Mulongoti’s doing. He has had some beef with the free press for a while now
How times has this happened in these tower buildings? Friends the nation has to grow up and accept that safety is more important than the fire-fighting by LCC. And to add salt to the wound, why is the LCC fire dept not funded?
They are cheating us and telling us it is our fault for not funding ppublic institutions??? PLEASE.
I don’t really understand that buildings are put up with basic fire fighting equipment in place. Correct me if I am wrong but this is not the first time Radio Phoenix Studio catches fire.
Why not put protective measures in place?
The fire fighting sector in Zambia needs much to be desired. Why Lord Why our beloved Radio Station
# 3 CORRECTION
I don’t really understand that buildings are put up WITHOUT basic fire fighting equipment in place. Correct me if I am wrong but this is not the first time Radio Phoenix Studio catches fire.
Why not put protective measures in place?
Our Investment is basically pissing money in the wind since we can not even afford to provide the most basic of protections for our infrustructure. There’s no excuse for a city like Lusak to have one fire station and 3 fire engines…that is nonsensical to say the least. A city the size of Lusaka needs over 100 fire engines and please have clearly marked and working fire hydrants…Lord Help us
GO on youtube somebody posted the video showing the buliding on fire.
Too bad
Again??
Nafuti!!!!!!awe sure fye
zo ona radio phoenix ati how .nafuti zo ona.
ba opposition bamiletelela mwanya.
Ba Ngwele Mwaocha radio station. Lomba niye demokilasi iyi?
awe ichichabipa!! RB landa bwino
Sad phoenix ilanjafwilishako nganaba depressed mu diaspora nganamisina ubwali nefinkubala.Lets hope the cause will be found soon.Thumbs up phoenix
Sorry to hear that.
U shud hav sn th fire engine..wota was js pouring out as it arived at th scene..those old fire engines surely..investing is a risk lyk ths.
Names have meanings, whether you spiritual or not, supersticious or otherwise. PHOENIX means “a bird (called phoenix) rises from the ashes”.As long as you maintain this name, you shall always be gutted, the worry is…. will you always rise from the ashes? Good luck, i love this station.
There’s no fire without cause. Who’s responsible?
Its PF cadres! Thet like burning and destroying things!
No myths and beliefs here,pips…..it’s crystal clear that there’s some political issues related to this matter!
Second time around,hope it’s not arson by MMD thugs!Am sure Hickey if he’s still the main man will say he’ll rise like a phoenix again however,it’s now worrying.It’s a well known fact that most buildings in Zed or let’s say africa do not have basic fire preventative measures or devices installed & the sad thing is that the Fire & Emergency services have limited resources to attend to fires & other emergencies promptly.
It takes our govt loss of life for them to start blaming each other & thinking of improving services,shame.I pray that radio phoenix gets back on air,it’s election time for heaven’s sake,we need radio phoenix to help The Post in covering the opposition.
Radio Phoenix, Room at the Top (Highlights), Chita Lodge = Insurance fraud! No wonder insuarance premiums are high in Zed, the innocent pay for the fraud!!
you can burn them down, but you cannot stop freedom of speech. they will continue exposing all of you for your corrupt ways. Abash corruption, viva radio pheonix
Been an electrician, there can only be one problem with this .Do proper wiring and all these can easily be averted do not use dodgy and cheap electrician it doesn’t help .Just an advice.
While the building was burning, PF cadres were busy shouting ‘We want change! Tulefwaya Pabwato’. Hope it was an accident not Ka Mulongoti works. QFM, make sure u secure yo place, your life may be in danger like Lukuku.
VIVA Manyozo Forwading Party(MFP)!!
its banda who gutted the studios!
# 18. QUEENBEE,
Your analysis is correct. I love you for that.
i think fyakubantu!!!
Katele has finally used his vast experience at witch-craft to burn down radio phoenix!!
KWASALA BA POST!!! MULONGOTI..WE KKNO UR HANDIWORK
Infrastructure yapa zeb shuwa, do we need to put state house on fire before we can get proper fire engines?
Mulongoti should be arrested immediately, he was saying he will sort out the press and he has started! This is really retrogressive in Zambia. The Post must be very very careful as it is the next target. Shame!
Open your eyes Zambians,this is realy political.Ba Mulongoti is realy doing sumthg.wht do you think pipo?
Its sad that a place like ZIMCO House has not been instored with modern fire equipments. ZIMCO House Management has alot to explain to the people of Zambia. This is not about politics its about life of an ordinarily Zambian. ZIMCO Management should be sued by Phoenix Radio. Why is it only Radio Phoenix is always on fire? Please lets not talk politics on this issue. This is about Health and Safety of you and me who always go to ZIMCO House for business.
@18 true!
Bane bonse pakuvota tukavote namano. Mulongoti at work. Whose next? I hear all the houses in bwinjimfumu just before Pearl Of Health Clinic have to be demolished because the owner of the land has surfaced and wants to build a multi trillion shopping mall there.
Apparently, The Post is located somewhere there and the only building that will remain standing is the consulate. Mulongoti’s work.
Thinking aloud;why radio phoenix being gutted twice, shoprite stores are always on fire.rarely do we hear of uninsured indian shops being gutted.something fishy. Is it a question of heavy insurance recoveries?
At last we have found the solution to the dilemma. RB is corrupt. Sata is primitive. HH is a tribalist. Miyanda is a lost merchant.
Manyozo Forwarding Party!!! Together Na Mu Manyozo Monse! Vote Pampoto Ne Mbale!!!
Lets hope that, this time, they had adequate insurance cover.
I can`t believe that something as folish as comment number 38 could be posted on the internet and pertaining to such a serious issue. Please for crying out loud.
no. 19 Nine Chale, whelche stadt bist du in Deutchland. Konnen wir wielleicht uns treffen?
Sad story. The post is likely to be next, mwebantu. Where are we heading to? Does Rupiah want to reintroduce One Part Participatory democrany? No indendependent media? Iam sad, very very sad.
#38, remember, we just concentrate on issues not pointing fingers at other opposition political leaders.
MFP!!
please get the right equipment we can’t afford nor condon such losses
WHAT IS A PHOENIX? A bird that burns and returns. This is the second tym.
I think some politician is bend this fire!!!! just think of this:its about election time and only radio phoenix in the building caught fire!!! the solution to this puzzle is:which political party is against phoenix and has the means to do what they want to do? its the Mad Moving Devils(MMD)!!!!!!!!!!
this is the work of the ruling part after the phone in programme that was hosted last month. we will use other sources of talking live on these matters. therefore V.J watchout.
Chi #20 iwe, Sata is a saddest person right now. He loves that station. Nomba takwate ukwa kuconkwela MMD govt.
this looks like insurance scam to me some serious investigations must be done, Hicky m m.
Phonex wil b bk n air tmro.thy js nid to replace sum burnt cables.easy easy pipo
Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious. Why would the State burn down Radio Phoenix? Why wouldn’t they? Let’s turn it around and ask: Why would the Post burn down Radio Phoenix? Why wouldn’t they? Or indeed, why would Radio Phoenix burn down Radio Phoenix? Why wouldn’t they? Money, money, money? Fraud, fraud, fraud? Insurance, insurance, insurance? Or just an accident? or just carelessness? Advice: Put your brain in gear before you engage your mouth.
I see nobody asks why the Lusaka Fire Brigade can’t respond to a fire less than a mile from them, and even when they do get there, like two days later, they are helpless to do anything about it. Answer: Because GRZ has invested one fat ZERO in equipment and training. It seems every successive government has conveniently ignored area of our national development coutnry-wide. and yes, in many ways, bloggers are right: it is the government that is rresponsible for the burning down of Radio Phoenix and other buildings before this fire over the years.
It’s the beginning of Sodom And Gomora
NEWS.VJ is being sidelined by RB’s campaign team & has officially wrote to RB to register his displeasure & withdraw frm RB’s campaign team.
#54, Give us the source of your infor or be charged for misleading the nation
My question is; what does this mean? “… fire fighters struggled in reaching the affected floor due to lack of a long path for connecting the water pipes.”
Is the ‘long path’ some sort of a connector or what? Whatever it is anyway. But the situation in the fire dept in Z worries me.. Especially that govt sends people all over the world and they cant surely make recomms of what they find in other places? Who is not doing their job? Or is it who is doing what not? Do we need another NGO to do things for us? Shame
Ka ‘Mulongoti…Ibange, dobo’ days are numbered!!
its an insurance scam. when they get into debt the torch their equipment. wake up people. Its funny how its just happens to radio phenix
its all fraud related. If a proper invetigation is carried out I can bet 110% that the fire was intentionally started, probably in the same manner that the first fire was started
#51 walasa 3/4 of the blogs above were written b4 thinking.
#18, thanks for the highlight though u seem to miss a vital nerve in your explanation. Yes, Phoenix will always rise WHENEVER it is gutted not that it will always be gutted as you put it.
I smell a rat here. Why Phoenix and not Hot or Q-FM? Somebody tell us!!
we are really zambian lets take care of our country its shamefull to hear that re-cycle politician doing all these rublish things instead of concetrating develop the country shame upon this to zambian people .indeed we have to open our eyes . god help us in this country.
Something fishy here. Why should this always happen whenever there seem to be outspokenness, kind of anti govt. I don’t understand this. Somebody should be held accountable for this.
20 be fair its not pf its mulongoti
In July I witnessed a scene in Mansa where a building caught fire and fire brigsde rushed to the scene. But to do what? Just to go and watch the merchandise inside brought to ashes. The building is called Spider (or is it Spiter) where marketeers store there merchandise overnite for a fee. The fire fighters, when asked why they were not extinguishing the fire. The answer was “Because there is no water in the fire engine.” It sounds funny but that was seriously the answer. One wonders why they even bothered to come to the scene.
#65,They came to sympathize with makerteers over there burnt mechandise.As some of them, their wives are makerteers.
Africa’s dirty politics at its best.
This is political sabotage and a threat to the independent media. May the police and the Zambia intelligence team bring the perpetrators to book.
The next government should put up safety measures to protect propaties especially against fire. Honestly how can a capital city of a country have limited fire hydrant engines? Last year it was shop rite cairo road that got fire.
The military also have fire engines the councils calls on whenever there is a a big fire they did it for shoprite why didnt they for phoenix. There is something political somewhere.
What is Radio Phoenix and where is it on this planet..can some please explain…am trying to learn more about foreign relations..its always good to ask..thanks alot for your and please vote McCain-Palin 2008..with love
I see all you boys and girls are sleeping now why no coments
wATCH OUT POST,TAKE YOUR GUARDS OR ELSE MULONGOTI AND VJ ON THEIR WAY NATU MATHES NAKA 2.5LT PETROL BOMB
hey kamps you post a comment at 5:51 which country has that flag is it Bulawayo or Argentina..feel me please
THEY SAY YOU CAN BRING DOWN A GOOD MAN BUT YOU CANNOT KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN. MY HEART BLEEDS TO HEAR THAT PHOENIX WAS GUTTED YET AGAIN. BUT WHY PHOENIX…SOMETHING FISHY…POLITICAL
#74. You lousy Maverick. How can you see Russia form Alaska. I am sure you can see Mexico form Arizona. Kowse iwe, Obama will shut you losers next month!!
Hunnu a fi overstand de sign and be wise. Jah say this judgement could never be with water, so no water can put out Jah fire. So clean up unnuh heart and straighten out unnuh dirty ways!
People on this blog, this should be our saddest moment,when the mouth piece of the people is burnt down we should thick critically why at this period it is in the similar way the first time it was burnt. those who were in chachacha can recall these are tacts UNIP employed to chase the whites. You should understand that Zambia is at crossroads here. Mr Mulongoti was right and he has done it because they can regulate the people’s wish the only way was to use any available means to silence democracy. we know how goverment machinery works especial special division of OP. get me right they can do any thing.
Too bad. Hope it will come up soon.
iwe ka mulongoti,time will catch up with u.
THIS IS THE UNIPIST/RB WAY OF DEALING WITH PRESS FREEDOM
DESPARADO MMD MAKING DEFINATLY.
GRZ and Zambia Business (Radio Phoenix) are to blame for this. First GRZ ‘inspectors’ are only concerned with a framed ‘fire certificate’ hanging on some wall. You walk in any business you will definaltely see this fire certificate.
On the other hand businesses are only worried about geting the damn certificate. In actual sense fire monitoring, detection and prevention must be part of business risk management. And the role of GRZ is ensure that businesses have implemented fire protections systems.
One can use water prinkler or gas system. In advanced systems fire can extinguishers within seconds.
It is RB at work to suppress the opposition. Watch out for this guy if he wins the elections on 30/10!!!
Vote for Sata or atleast HH the better.
Money Banda kachelochelo watampa no kugoleka ifikulwa?
Ulandekofye aka chintu ninshi ku goleka inchende yobe. Rupiah alitumpa
Is he not legally married to Thandiwe?
Is he not legally married to Thandiwe? ni chigololo?
I am sure this is not the only building that violates basic safety standards (if any at all). And since the Chinese are leading the scramble for Zambia (stupidly called wooing investors by our brainless politicians), I don’t expect any progress in this area.
And even if it is Mulongoti or Katele who farted or sent arsonist there, where were the fire extinguishers? Our poor miners will continue dying for nothing if we can not even insist on adherence to basic safety standards. Poverty of thinking at it’s best.
There is more to this fire. I suspect faul play i.e inside job and gross negligence by the designers of these buildings. you can imagine that even cabinet office was burnt at one time. Government needs to do something about our public safty.
Desperate RB using 2nd republic opsd goons set fire to the raadio station. He wants to win at all cost so that he can cover up on the big lie on LPM’s death in egypt
Good bye MMD
just like the mythical bird, ‘the phoenix’ that consumes itself in fire and is reborn from the ashes, so is radio phoenix. this goes to say be carefull wat u wish for because it might just come true
sad reading. has mulongoti got an alibi?
Local authorities in Lsk are a bunch of jokers…? How many simple fires have we failed to contain in the recent past? radio phoenix(1st time around), post newspapers, cabinet office etc the list is endless. Are we so thick that we never learn? we fail to invest in proper fire prevention equipment yet spend billions on stupid & futile elections?!
These MPs (cabinet ministers) want to increase their gratuity to K2.5 billion after “dosing” in parliament for 5 yrs. If u count the number of MPS you find that it’s quiet high. If that money were to be used to buy modern fire equipment, what happened to radio phoenix would have stopped in the early stages. RB Zwaaaaaaaaaaa
# 94
goos question. Nika Mulongoti nanomba. Ka nya he will be arrested when this compaign is over. Ama plunderers are back na chief vulture chiluba. Nikupusa
I have just spoken to the guys at Radio Phoenix. The station itself apparently was not affected although Hickey Studios was. So, Radio Phoenix could be back on air within the next 24 hours. Hoping to get further updates soon.
Room at the top,burnt 1985
Radio phoenix, burnt 1997
Tender board, burnt –
Cabinet office burnt –
Phoenix Burnt AGAIN—
Fili oko tuleya, WHY ONLY IN LUSAKA? not in kabwe,ndola,L/stone,kitwe ,etc.
# 99. U have forgotten Shoprite and it is not only Lusaka. Solwezi shoprite was also burnt down …
IMWE I.C INGASHOKE NYUMBA.I THINK THAT FIRE WAS JUST STARTED. SOON LT AND THE POST WILL BE GATTERED.
NDIWE JACK DANIELS?
Room at the top,burnt 1985
Radio phoenix, burnt 1997
Tender board, burnt –
Cabinet office burnt –
Phoenix Burnt AGAIN—
RB, Mulongoti, Katele, VJ – Scorched 30th October 2008
IYI NKANI YA Phoenix, can also be an inside JOB.iF MULOGOTI set the RADIO Casette or soory Radio Station on fire.Sembe tunaka ona.Bamene ababafana bama pyanga pyanga banga chite konaivu na BOMA…..
zambia will never develop.because nothing has ever being taken seriously.
Kalumba means a ghost in LOZI,so i think KATELEKALUMA might have somthing 2 do with the inferno.on the other hand wiring of electric cables in zed is very poor,old buildings have not bn maintained ever since BA KK LEFT OFFICE
not only solwezi and lusaka shoprite but also kasama shoprite.
What are we gonna be proud of in Zambia. Nakuzimya mulilo nima donors. Kapena mufuna tizinkala chabe mubwendo, moto ukayaka mutilamo chabe manzi. Pa Zed nikaya!
SARA PALIN M IN LOVE WITH U OREDY<JUS COS OF THAT BEAUTIFUL COMENT
kalumba also means kaleza or lightening. katele kalumba should know something on the infernal.
#109
sarah palin ni mwamuna. Bazakumanga pa zed ka, gay
akalumba(katele) burnt radio phoenix
#109 what if Sara Palin turns out to be a man just using the name coz he likes it?
then i wont b in love
thanks 4 the advice guys,i hope these inteligent brains will b used when voting
It is sad that we are failing to manage the smallest of issues. Do we need to be under colonial rule for us to get things done. After 44 years of nationhood , we should be struggling to put off a fire. It is unacceptable.
LATEST FORECAST!! P/SE WATCH OUT!!
..………………..RB…… SATA….. HH
Northern …..25%….. 70%…… 5%
Luapula ……35….. 55%…… 10%
Eastern ……80%….. 10%……. 10%
Central ……25%….. 10%…… 65%
Lusaka …….31%….. 39%…… 30%
Copperbelt …32%….. 40%…… 28%
North-western .20%….. 8%…… 72%
southern …….8% …..2% ……86%
western …….11% …..2% ……80%
zambia ……..26.4%…. 35.42%…… 38.1%
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Someone posted the video of the fire on youtube. Check out www do youtube dot com stoke watch?v=hnjo2svnlBA or search radio phoenix on youtube.
Its so sad.
I can’t believe this nonsense is happening in my country.
#100 you forgot Shoprite Kasama was also gutted
fire fighters of Lusaka, are useless. Its has been some years since they last saved a life. These guys can not even organise a piss-up in a brewery.
OK folks, Radio Phoenix was burnt yesterday and #98 Chilu has told us that the studio itself is not even affected, so by now we should be discussing something else tefyo? Ba LT, what’s new? I don’t intend to spend my entire weekend staring at that funny bird on the logo…twa laya mukunwa before we get depressed ka!
This is RB and his goons at work
We start with phoenix then next sort out the post
I think the insurance companies are to blame too.They should work hand in hand with the building inspectors to make sure that these commercial setups have proper safety deals in place.
Sorry to Radio Phoenix. The rising back to full operation is what is key now. Look future all Zambians.
HH has come for Zambia’s bright future.
It is time the Zambian government seriously thought about seting up a ‘Health and Safety’ department.
What is the policy of safety issues in building for the UPND’s HH?
What policy? there is no such policy in UPND. The only policy there is is to get into State House. After that, they will be befuddled as all those who took over from me since 1991
What is the UPND’s policy on providing all zambians with “Clean and Safe Drinking Water”?
Albert Einstein’s advice: “The important thing is not to stop questioning”.
“Lightening dose not stike twice in the same place”,contrary to this BUT again for Radio Phoenix
Ask Rupiah Banda
IT IS MAUREEN MUKAMBO MWANAWASA WHO SET IT ABLAZE. WHEN IS SHE LEAVING PLOT 1. LT, UPDATE US
I believe and am reliably informed that MAUREEN is busy packing all the ORNAMENTS purchased at plot 1 in her time! CHECK THIS SPACE!
This fraud, Phoenix destroyed Society House and now its destroyed ZIMCO house, why is it the only station that burns down?
In my opinion Hickey is just looking for more insurance money.
Then again maybe its a competition between Shoprite and Phoenix to see who can burn their building down more than the other. Shoprite leads by 1
#74 Wabe mputi…..
The UPND’s HH Campaign Theme Song
Chorus
[Beat and Rhythm: Nddi Nddi …. (Mixed with) ntli ntli ntli ntli ntli ntli ntli ntli ….]
Chinochaka pakuvota tusale kateke wamano
Hakainde Hichilema, ewo tusale bane
Chinochaka pakuvota tusale kateke wamano
Hakainde Hichilema, ewo tusale bane
Source: w w w . hakainde . c o m
138-how succesful are you that you should even blag on the net, ngati ndimwa apo ni njinga mnapoka bana ba masiye.Don’t write songs here, write sensible comments so that you convince us tivotele abululu banu ahichilewa oh sory hichileka oh sory again hichilemwa oh sory ah kaya manja kapena ni chi chaniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
#138, wait for 2016. Maestro for Zambian President in 2016. Choice yaboola.
#139 and not #138 in #140 above, wait for 2016. Maestro for Zambian President in 2016. Choice yaboola.
LT LT whats up with your flipin server
Why does Radio Phoenix always set up shop in the tall biuldings withought realy having a fire retardent plan of action … and please some one dont give me a stupid ans like ( “its because they can send out a good signal from up top”.) ….not that it would not make sence but you can have your outfit at ground level and have the relevent antena’S
BWAN its a SCUM radie phoenix burnig down is not politicaly motivated although its made to look like it this is a pure well calculated Fraud ..INSURANCE FRAUD
i can bet you my uncles left nut .
This Phoenix aint rising from this flame but some cat is for sure going to get fat from this pay out real fat and just walk away.
the stupid ones will be left pinting fingers at political parties while the smart one will be sippin on margarita”s in cuncoon listening to slap DEE’s Cd while mampi wacks him off
we are so sorry…
THIS IS NOT A FIRST TIME FOR RADIO PHOENIX TO GET BURNT,AND I CAN NOT SEE THE REASON BEHIND THE FIGURE…..
Just saw a clip on cnn i report. Too bad!!!
1k8f2smepr7zj3yy
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