ESCOM non-committal on compensation for Mzimba market fire victims

Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM) Tuesday expressed its non-commitment on whether or not it will compensate victims of fire that gutted Mzimba market Sunday morning, allegedly said to have been sparked by an ESCOM fault.

Goods and property worth K800 million are said to have been lost in the inferno, according to M’belwa Council district Commissioner Thomas Chirwa.

ESCOM public relations officer Kitty Chingota told local press that claims that they were responsible for the fire were just speculations.

“We’re still waiting for a comprehensive report from relevant authorities on the genuine cause of the fire,” said Chingota. “It is only after that that I could comment on whether we will compensate the victims or not.”

Chirwa had Monday called on ESCOM to bail out the victims.

“The fire is said to have started because of a spark from an ESCOM power line. I, therefore, urge ESCOM to look into the issue and pay out compensations where possible,” Chirwa had said.

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) through its director of national campaign Jappie Mhango pledged government would bail out business people who lost their property and goods in the fire.