Chicken Inn ceiling collapses in Bulawayo

An undisclosed number of people were injured while having meals at a Chicken Inn fast-food outlet in Bulawayo when its ceiling collapsed on them yesterday.

A witness, only identified as Ashley said she was inside the building when the accident happened at around 3pm, opposite Tredgold Building.

She said she heard a loud bang and suddenly, everyone was screaming.

“Some customers fled from the outlet. I saw blood on the floor as I fled as well,” said Ashley.

She said the staff quickly took control of the situation and asked everyone out before closing the doors to the Creamy Inn and Fish Inn section of the facility.

“We saw two people badly injured but they were quickly taken out through the back door before police were even called to the scene.

“We identified one of the victims as a ZAOGA pastor and the other one was a man who appeared to be in his twenties.

“I had to fork out $2 to send a cab to (Bulawayo) Central Police (Station) to fetch the officer in charge when I saw that no one had called the police,” she said.

Witnesses said staff at the outlet even barred a fire brigade crew from entering the premises.

“They only relented when that white man came,” said a woman, referring to Bulawayo chief fire officer Richard Peterson.

Another witness, Melusi Moyo said he was disappointed by the way the staff handled the accident. “They refused to tell anyone the number of people who were injured or where they had taken them,” he said.

Peterson said he could not comment on the incident as the management only told him that the injured people had been taken to “their clinic” along Jason Moyo Street and 5th Avenue.

Innscor managing director Warren Meares said: “As far as I was told, it was a minor accident, no broken bones, no stitches, just a bandage for one guy. However, I am on my way, flying down there to assess the situation. I am told the victims were attended to at some clinic and all actually walked to their homes.”

Efforts to get a comment from Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson, Inspector Precious Simango were fruitless. The Chronicle