Inferno

Radio Phoenix on fire (12th floor of Zimbo Building)

Event-packed weekend starting from this past Friday. During lunch hour on Friday, people were getting up and going toward the Zimco building just in front of us to check something out. Getting up to see what all the commotion was, the deal was that Radio Phoenix had caught on fire at the top of building, on the 12th floor.

With no visible fire department vehicles in sight, the crowds on the ground grew and people were gawking as the flames and smoke became thicker and more intense. Luckily everyone made it out of the building unscathed, but the radio station, one of the country's most respected ones, lost their recording studio and all its equipment as well as its accounts department, expected to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace.
Armed with my camera, as per usual (I have learned my lesson and carry it with me to work because you never know what is going to happen in this city), I started snapping shots of the inferno and the growing crowd.
Things turned political as people began fist-pumping and shouting, "we want change, we want Sata!" (He is a presidential candidate for the Patriotic Front, an opposition party).

A young politico amongst the fire observers.

Security personnel eventually had to shove the crowd into one corner as they were so close to the building and debris from the top was beginning to fall, creating a potentially dangerous situation.
Members of the rowdy crowd began to make signs saying different things like, "Zambia for sale" and "We want change now." Yelling, singing, chanting. You would think you were at a rock show waiting for the biggest act to show up.
Nearly 45 minutes later the fire brigade showed up, only they did not have enough water to put the whole blaze out. After calling a private company to supply backup water, finally things were on the go as the firefighters climbed the twelve story-building in the dark.
After getting some quotes from various Radio Phoenix personnel and bystanders, I decided it was time to climb the 12 stories too to snap some shots of the damage. Wearing my flip flops and rolling my jeans up, I mounted the stairs in the dark with only a cell phone lighting my way, dodging the hose on the way up while my feet were completely soaked.

Firefighters put out the blaze on the 12th floor

Once I reached the top, the damage was awful. With the ground, in parts, still burning hot, glass and debris everywhere, it was hard to imagine this was once a recording studio. Musicians lost all their recordings, equipment was damaged and would foresee to cost thousands of dollars and files were gone forever.
After a long and gruelling day, a relaxing and small concert to cover was most welcome that evening. I feel as though Lusaka has been over-saturated with the same performances as of late, which is why the turnout at Smugglers Inn was so but nevertheless, still always a happening party.
Saturday night, I covered the Face of Redds beauty pageant where the finalists were crowned and a new queen was chosen. It was basically the same set-up as last time except much more chic, being held at the Chrismar Hotel with a catwalk that was set up over a swimming pool. How the models managed to teeter down the shaky catwalk in five inch heels without falling, I have no idea how they managed to do so. Was very impressed.

Models at Face of Redds finals awaiting to hear their names announced for the crown

After yet another late night out, I have actually been looking forward to the work week. I start teaching my class again at Golden Gates (still need to finish correcting those exams) and am looking forward to the increasing election coverage that I will be doing over the next few weeks. Things are getting pretty heated up here and as much as I feel bad, I forgot to vote for the Canadian elections but am having far too much fun covering the Zambian ones. Jack Layton, here's hoping for you on the 14th. Fingers are crossed.