Fire breaks out at Shiite mosque in Tanzania

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) At around 3am on Tuesday 26 November 2013, a fire broke out on the second floor of the Shia Ithna Asheri mosque in Kiponda Zanzibar, Tanzania. This area is usually used in the month of Ramadhan  for Quran recitation and amaals.  As the mosque’s ground floor area is being refurbished the second floor is currently being used for Jamaat namaaz. A community member noticed the smoke coming from the upper floor at 5am when he arrived to recite Adhaan and immediately called for help.  The fire caused considerable damage to the Mehraab, mimber, an area of the ceiling and carpet and several books were burnt as well.  Had the fire not been contained as soon as it was, the damage could have been much worse. Although the exact cause of the fire has not been determined, it is believed that the battery attached to the emergency tube light which remains charged had burst. Once the improvements on the mosque that are underway are completed, necessary repairs will be made to the second floor as well.Alhamdulillah no one was hurt in the fire and the damages will be repaired as soon as possible./149