A fire at GOICO Plaza in Musanze started around 13:00 on October 10 on the fifth floor and spread through the building. An assessment found that the ground floor remained largely undamaged, allowing traders to recover most of their belongings from that level. However, goods and structures on the upper floors were destroyed, with debris still being cleared on Sunday afternoon. The only items missing from the ground floor were an electronic billing machine and a camera belonging to Nyange Industries, which were reportedly stolen.
The building, which cost 7.5 billion Rwandan francs to construct when it opened several years ago, housed small to large businesses selling clothes, mobile phones, electronics and household goods. The Rwanda National Police fire and rescue unit, local authorities and residents worked to contain the blaze. The Ministry of Local Government thanked emergency responders in a statement on Sunday. Health authorities said 17 people were taken to hospital, most suffering psychological distress, with one person sustaining physical injuries.
Traders affected have reported significant losses. One seller of mobile phone accessories said her stock worth about 30 million francs was destroyed. Another trader in electronic equipment estimated his losses at 120 million francs. Traders told authorities they had previously raised concerns about additional structures installed in the building, but these warnings were not addressed. Both called for government support to help them rebuild their businesses.
Musanze District Mayor Nsengimana Claudien said authorities were standing with affected traders and residents. He cautioned people against entering the building before it was declared safe, as broken glass and metal posed risks and hot spots remained. The government said it was working with those affected, though the extent of any financial assistance had not been specified.