By Daniel Mjema and Florah Temba
Moshi. Preliminary investigation into the fire that broke out on Mountain Kilimanjaro has so far shown that the inferno was accidentally caused by porters who were serving climbers at Whona.
This was said by Tanzania National Parks communication official Pascal Shelutete on Tuesday during a briefing to journalists.
According to Shelutete, climbers were at Whona on Sunday October 11 where they were warming their food and it was at that point that fire caught some of the dry grass.
“Though there could be more to this fire but preliminary evidence points Whona where visitors were warming their food. As you know this is a dry season and fire spreads very fast,” he said.
Shelutete said the affected area was at Mandara Hut which is at about 2700 meters and the Horomobo Hut which is at some 3700 meters and not in the rain forests as it had been earlier on rumoured.
“This area is mainly made up of shrubs,” he said.
By 1100Hrs local time on Tuesday, the fire had not been contained despite the number of firefighters reaching 600
The manpower is made up of the fire brigade, Tanapa officials and volunteers from the nearby villages and students from Mweka Wildlife College.
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