The well-known Eliakim Namundjebo building in the Ongwediva-Oshakati main road was gutted by fire yesterday afternoon, leaving Ongwediva residents breathing in some of the smoke for almost an hour. The estimated damage caused by the fire is about N$150 400. Although the details of the cause of the fire were still sketchy at the time of going to print, those in the know claim the fire started when employees at the building set fire to garbage they collected during their cleaning the premises. Among the property destroyed in the fire were 160 electrical poles belonging to Nored that were housed in a storeroom where Nored formerly operated from. The fire was so intense that two fire brigade trucks ran out of water and had to be refilled. The Namibian Police’s Rescue Services in Oshana also helped at the site but it took almost an hour to put out the fire.Photo: Nuusita Ashipala