Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa has threatened to deal with Lilongwe City Council officials for failing to respond in time in the recent fire that gutted down Lilongwe Central Market.

Nankhumwa said this on Friday afternoon after visiting the gutted market and cheering the affected vendors.

The Minister said Lilongwe City Council officials are to blame for the inferno, saying some items could have been saved had it been that the fire fighters were sent to the scene on time.

Nankhumwa also blamed the council for not providing enough fuel to the fire fighters.

The fire in Lilongwe is said to have started at around 3am on Friday while everyone was fast asleep but fire fighters arrived at the scene at around 6am.

The development angered some vendors who went on rampage protesting the City Council negligence.

It took the intervention of the police to calm down the situation.

Meanwhile the cause of the fire is yet to be established.