Fire causes N$2m damage at Hobatere

HAD the wind blown on Wednesday night when the famous Hobatere Lodge’s main building burnt down, the entire establishment would probably have gone up in flames.

According to the owners’ son, Sean Braine, they suffered damages of at least N$2 million.Upon enquiry, Braine said it was not yet clear what had caused the fire. ‘We reckon it’s [an] electrical [problem]. It is a bit of a bugger-up. The whole main building and everything in it – bar and bar stock, the office and the safe [burnt down].’The building alone was valued at approximately N$1 million, he said.At around midnight on Wednesday, he said, he had heard ‘a huge sound which sounded like a storm coming. We were so lucky it wasn’t a windy night. If the wind had blown, we would have been gone.’The lodge, situated in the Kunene Region, attracts thousands of international tourists annually.Braine said they had many bookings for January but made alternative arrangements for their guests. ‘We will still take people but they will have to bear with us. Fortunately, the kitchen was not damaged.’

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