Fire Guts About 20 Makeshift Trading Structures at Kamwala Trading Area

By Staff Reporter

LUSAKA, August 19, 2026 — A fire has destroyed approximately 20 makeshift trading structures at Kamwala Trading Area in Lusaka, the Zambia Police Service has confirmed.

The fire occurred behind Downtown Shopping Mall, along the railway line, at about 20:40 hours on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

Zambia Police Service Public Relations Officer Godfrey Chilabi said Kabwata Police Station received a report of the incident and immediately dispatched officers to the scene.

When the officers arrived, they found several makeshift trading structures engulfed in flames. Personnel from the Lusaka City Council Fire Brigade responded to the emergency and successfully extinguished the fire.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the blaze may have started from a brazier reportedly left burning at a makeshift restaurant. However, police have opened an inquiry file to establish the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.

No injuries were reported, but the full extent of the damage and the value of the property destroyed have not yet been established. Authorities are expected to determine the losses after conducting a detailed assessment.

The Zambia Police Service has advised traders operating from temporary structures to exercise extreme caution when using braziers and other sources of fire.

Traders have also been urged to ensure that braziers, cooking fires and other possible ignition sources are completely extinguished before leaving their trading areas.

Police have appealed to members of the public to remain calm while investigations into the incident continue.