PURPORTED BURNING DOWN OF BIBLE HOUSE
Lusaka City Council would like to correct the impression created in some sections of the media alleging that the Bible House building has been burnt to ashes following the fire which occurred yesterday 8th January 2017.
To the contrary the building is intact only one warehouse belonging to a shop named Peace Spares Suppliers was gutted. The warehouse situated at the back of the shop contained highly inflammable substances such as oils, motor vehicle spares, paints and other hardware materials. It is alleged that on the materials day the owner of the shop had contracted someone to weld something in the warehouse, it is during this process that the fire was ignited.
The owners attempted to put out the fire but failed that’s when they called Fire Brigade at 10:56 hrs. The Fire Brigade turn out immediately by the time they arrived on the scene the fire had already grown, however the officers with the help of our partners from Zambia Air Force and National Airport Corporation managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other shops.
The Fire officers are supposed to find water at the scene or nearby where the fire tender can connect. Sadly the entire City of Lusaka has only three functional points
It is also alleged that the Fire Brigade went to the scene without water. First and foremost it’s important to understand that the Fire Tender was not meant to carry water to the fire incident, the water which is carried in the fire tender is just for First Aid. The Fire officers are supposed to find water at the scene or nearby where the fire tender can connect. Sadly the entire City of Lusaka has only three functional points where the fire officers can draw water namely Fire Brigade main station, Manchichi near Northmead Secondary School and one point opposite Chibelo Basic School.
The rest of the hydrant points its either they have no water completely or the pressure is too low to pump water into the fire tender, hence the movements the fire officers make to and from the scene. its also sad to note that the existing fire hydrants in the Central Business District have been vandalised by some people so that they can have access to water, which has led Lusaka Water and Sewerage Co to shut down a number of the fire hydrants in the CBD.
Lack of water therefore has been a biggest challenge facing the fire men and women whenever there was such emergencies.
The Council would like to reiterate that the purported burning downing to ashes of Bible House is malicious and incorrect. The Council through public relations has always provided information to members of the general public where need arises and it’s in this vein that we wish to urge the media to get first-hand information through the public relations unit in order to avoid misleading the public.
Habeenzu Mulunda
Public Relations Manager
This is a sad response. It looks like the people charge with the burden of providing water dont know how to deal with the problem. The PR man is just telling us that their brains are dysfunctional. LCC be serious and create those water points. You are a disaster
Who complained that LCC failed to put off fire? Who cares about LCC, there are floods in Lusaka, plenty of water? Not even minister of religious affairs complained about non existing LCC.
Our discussion was a miracle recorded that no bible was burnt.
Nostradamus – that is the problem now. We registered a miracle and LCC has now reversed this miracle because according to them the Bible House was not on fire.
On a serious note: it is very sad that LCC can openly display their incompetence to handle such disasters when our friends are even having helicopters and cargo planes as fire fighting equipment. Here in our capital city we a LCC official stating that they have no capacity to repair a leaking or vandalized pipeline for fire hydrants.
I bet that this Habeenzu Mulunda sleeps with his doors open in his house when thieves break the mortice locks – LCC has no sence of urgency in fixing critical equipment bordering on safety of human beings.
To the L.C.C, ever since the gutting of building society, Zimco, shoprite Cairo Rd n other buildings within the CBD you can’t be giving the nation such an explanation that lacks credit. The lcc owns the city n it’s you as an institution to ensure that all hydrants located within the City are functional n vandalism free.Mr Muyunda please get to the bottom of all these problems in the city n make a change.
Three water points for the whole Lusaka city? Lusaka has expanded to its limits and we only have 3 hydrant points. This is a scary situation we have
The pictures here are not showing the Bible Societies House. It is showing different shops clearly marked. Unless otherwise. How ever the devil will never win. Devil understand one thing you will never win even if you really burnt the Bible Societies House. The Bible is already written in our hearts.
Please check the picture again? The top most label
What a pathetic response. 53years after independence and you come and preach to us about having 3water points for the entire Lusaka city? Is it not the job of LCC to put up more access points? You make it sound like it is the residents fault. I wish LCC could be sold to a better manager
And in any case if you have few hydrant points, you will have no choice but to make sure that fire tenders carry some water all the time. Yes we understand that they are designed in such a way that they don’t have to carry water all the time. But you can still procure those that are designed in such a manner or those that are user friendly – dual role
shi.t all that stock burnt, damn it!!!!
Rubbish u are even bragging ati” the whole Lusaka City we only have three water point” proudly announcing your failure to the nation.Come on!! can u this moment start working on the availability of water points every after two centimeters or else heads will roll
in our old days v use to have officers from fire dept going around every six month to check all the water points what has gone wrong with that y is it that when whites leave all goes down to dogs yyyy this is a silly excuse
Sorry to LT I have just seen the writing of Bible House, and have read in the Times of Zambia that all Bibles are intact. Shame to the devil together with your agents where ever you stay:
That’s the price one pays for opting for the cheapest guy to do your job. Firstly it should have been the SAFETY aspects to be considered and then the magnitude of the works and then the pricing. In this case the guy was just looking at how much he would rake into his pocket. By the way where is this Negligent chap, in cells or free roaming?
LCC has just shown how vulnerable this country can be. No forward planning and no real risk management. It looks like the only fire hydrants we have are those from Colonial times. What have we been doing all this time? I personally don’t blame LCC but the politicians! We elect hyenas to look after goats but when the goats are consumed we wonder why. LCC has been ransacked from the time Chiluba sold council houses for K10 all because he wanted to get at KK. Parks and Gardens is also been shared by the same politicians. The Mayor can’t chess the street vendors because the provincial minister has issued a political statement to keep Lusaka dirty. What a country.
Lol
You are absolutely right. Love the humor as well.
Lusaka City Council really how much would it cost to repair a hydrant? What about the monies you rake in from the garbage and sewer disposals, the rates and so forth, where does it go? You are just disorganized from inception and shall never change for better but live with your perpetual excuses. If your activities were to be scrutinized, I am of the opinion that skeletons can be discovered. Excuses rob you the experience of failing from which you can derive improvement when you accept the fact that you are failing. You very well know where to find water and it is irrelevant for you to start telling us where and what. Lastly Break the barriers that block improvement. Do not just get relatives to fill up positions like chieftainship.
Ministry of Local Govt & LCC are fraudsters. Why acquire expensive fire engines without fire hydrants in country? LCC are crying as if they are not in charge of regulation of water supply requirements & safety of hydrants. Min. of Local Govt has allowed scams by Water Utilities to defraud the public by collecting their money without supplying minimum quantity of water required whose international standard is 150-200 litres per head per day. How much does it cost LCC to hire one security guard / day to guard fire hydrants? There are plenty of Paramilitary police loafing in banks where there is no vandalism/theft to guard fire hydrants. Where is the insurance industry which pays out fire claims without satisfying themselves with quality of fire hydrants & water supply in an event of fire?
our priorities are to buy VXs that cost an arm and leg,basics like fire hydrants are left to days of national prayers
No need to even hire a police officer. Just make sure the water points a secured. Just imagine; three water points for the whole lusaka city. It is a joke!
The fire brigade went to the scene without water???
So it was not a miracle just miracle reporting…
Lusaka City Council who is vandalizing the hydrates. You know its the street vendors you have allowed everywhere to clean cars. You know it but for political expediency you look the other side.
Surely the LCC’s explanation does not hold water, if anything heads should roll for putting Lusaka at a risk. Are the fire hydrants checked and maintained at regular intervals? I do not understand the excuse of water shortages in Lusaka when the Kafue river passes close by. What do you with the census figures after counting the people, is it supposed to be used for projections and planning?
It’s your Christian following who propagated the story of the building having burnt to ashes so that they could sell the fantastic story that God protected only the Bibles. Remember yesterday they sung songs about this imagined miracle
Anyone out there to tell me the meaning of this LT caption?
Fire remains after the fire was put out
LCC get down to WORK! This is unacceptable period. Batch i%&#ts!