One person has died and property worth thousands of kwacha has been destroyed after a fire gutted Kapalala Market at Main Masala in Ndola late on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
The inferno, which broke out near the Cairol section around midnight, swept through grain depots and stalls, reducing large stocks of maize, beans, groundnuts, and other produce to ashes.
Grain traders and depot owners affected by the blaze have bemoaned their losses, saying the repeated fire outbreaks have left them struggling to recover their businesses and sustain their families.
Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, who visited the scene, bemoaned the tragedy, describing it as a major setback for the affected traders.
Mr. Matambo also lamented that this is the third time Kapalala Market has been gutted by fire, calling for urgent measures to prevent future occurrences.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established, but investigations have since been launched.
By Lovemore Sondashi
