Bujumbura fire destroys Galerie Ndayizamba and Le Parisien buildings

A major fire broke out early Friday morning in the commercial center of Bujumbura, Burundi, destroying two prominent multi-shop buildings: Galerie Ndayizamba and Galerie Le Parisien.

The blaze reportedly began around 6 a.m. in the basement of Galerie Ndayizamba and quickly spread to the neighboring Le Parisien structure. Despite efforts from firefighters and local citizens using water and soil, the intensity of the flames and dense urban setting hampered containment efforts.

Traders suffered catastrophic losses, with some estimating damages in the billions of Burundian francs. While no fatalities or serious injuries have been confirmed, the fire destroys vital trading hubs that had supported merchants following previous market disasters in the capital. Authorities have opened an investigation, and security personnel from the galleries are being questioned to determine the cause of the outbreak.