Durban - Herbal market stall holders were devastated after a fire razed more than 60 of their stalls on Sunday night.
On Monday morning, the Durban Fire Department was called again to inspect the area and water down areas where it appeared the fire was still smouldering.
The muti market, as it is commonly known, is situated on a concrete bridge between Bertha Mkhize (Victoria) Street and the Market Road crossing over the railway lines of the Berea railway station.
Durban Fire Department Divisional Commander Nkulumo Dube said the cause of the fire was unknown.
Dube said three fire trucks, a water carrier as well as 15 fire fighters converged on the scene just after 9pm.
"It took us about an hour to contain and extinguish the fire on the bridge. No injuries were reported. The police will investigate the cause of the fire," he said.
Rumours on social media that a car had veered off the N3 overpass were false, said Dube.
At night, a gate on either side of the bridge is locked and nobody is allowed to live in their stalls.
Jabulani Gumede, chairperson of the herbal market stall holders, said the stall holders were devastated when they arrived to start trading this morning. He said the lost stock was valued at an estimated R500 000.
"It is a great concern that this had to happen at the end of the month. Some have bills to pay. I am a trader for 24 years and this is the worst fire we have had here," he said.
Thandi Gumede, who arrived from uMkhomazi, cried loudly and collapsed onto a stall and then the floor when she saw that nothing remained in her stall except a burnt pile of stock.
"I lost stock worth R6 000. I have four children and grandchildren to support, and this was my only income. How do I recover from this?" she said.
The stall holders sell herbs, tree barks, animal skulls and other items used for medicinal purposes.
Twisted metal sheets of the roof lay on the ground over burnt piles of stock. Smoke emanated from different sections before the fire department doused the market again and checked for embers.
The metal frames of chairs and other parts of the stalls were among the ruins. Many of the stall holders wanted to know how the fire had started. Others used spades to move the burnt debris in the hope of salvaging items from the fire.
The bridge is also one of the main pedestrian thoroughfares into the city and public transport ranks.
Mandla Nsele, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, said officials were still at the scene gathering facts about the incident.