Central Harare: Numerous fatalities due to balcony collapse

On Saturday 6^th of April afternoon, the balcony of a partially damaged house collapsed causing unknown, as of present, deaths while it injured many others. The incident occurred in central Harare, and more specifically, at the crossing of Chinhoyi and Bank Streets in the capital city of Zimbabwe.

As of present, neither the police nor the fire department have stated anything about the incident. Therefore, the exact reason of the collapse remains unknown. However, this tragic incident underlines the urgent need to address the poor condition of numerous buildings, presenting considerable hazards to the safety of the public, not only in Harare but also in other major urban areas.

Renowned filmmaker and journalist, Hopewell Chino'ono, attributed the incident to the dire state of the country's economy. He stated in particular, that the poor economy of Zimbabwe, is reflected in the declining preferences of the urban buildings and he argued that is the result of illegal practices and corruption.