By A Correspondent – Panic briefly gripped the Holiday Inn in Bulawayo on Wednesday morning after reports of a suspected bomb threat, prompting the evacuation of hotel guests and staff.

An ambulance was dispatched to the scene, while police officers and emergency responders rushed into the building. Hotel staff quickly guided guests to safety.

However, it was later confirmed by hotel management that the incident was a scheduled safety drill, not a real emergency.

Speaking to reporters outside the hotel, manager Nkosi Moyo said:
“Just to update you, we had received a bomb threat, which we reported to the army’s bomb disposal unit for assistance. The team responded swiftly and contained the situation.”

He clarified further: “Everything is now under control. I’d like to inform you that this was a mock drill, which we are required to conduct every six months.”

Mock drills are simulated emergency exercises used to assess how well hotel staff, security teams, and emergency services respond to potential threats such as bomb scares, fires, or natural disasters.

Moyo commended the response, stating: “We managed to evacuate the hotel in 10 minutes. The entire drill took 23 minutes in total, after which the hotel was cleared for normal operations.”

While the exercise initially caused concern among guests and bystanders, authorities reassured the public that there was no real danger and praised the smooth handling of the drill.

Source: CITE