WINDHOEK – Thirteen employees of Nangolo Manufacturing and Welding cc could lose their jobs after a fire on Monday destroyed their workplace.
The business is situated in the northern industrial area behind Shoprite Katutura.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
However the owner of the business Ferdinand Nangolo suspects the fire was started after an uncovered container of methane was struck by sparks from a grinding machine.
Toini Shikongeni employed as a secretary at the gutted workplace suspects the blaze could have started in her office that bore the brunt of the fire.
Goods consumed by the fire included workers’ identity cards and N$800 in cash.
Among the burned materials were brass cutters, welding machines, furniture, bull bars and car bumpers. The damage totals N$240 000 according to a rough estimate presented to New Era.
None of the workers was inside the building when the fire started.
Efraim Shikongo an employee now fears for his job and hopes his boss acquires new premises from where they can operate.
He said some of the finished material like bumpers and bull bars were already paid for by customers. “How we are going to compensate our customers because we don’t have a place to operate from,” said Shikongo.
By Obrein Simasiku