HighTable Sound Entertainment, the Dar es Salaam recording studio owned by Bongo Flava star Elias “Barnaba” Barnabas, has been left in ruins after a devastating overnight fire.
The blaze destroyed state-of-the-art production equipment and unreleased master recordings, dealing a major setback to Barnaba’s creative enterprise and one of the region’s notable music production hubs.
According to Barnaba, the fire broke out at around 2:30 a.m. shortly after he returned from a performance at Malkia wa Nguvu in Arusha.
The singer said that after arriving in Dar es Salaam, he attended a family gathering before briefly stopping by his office to greet a few people. He later headed home.
"About 15 minutes later, I received a call telling me the place was on fire," he wrote.
The loss was particularly painful for the artiste, who had recently spent heavily renovating the facility.
"I completed renovations only two weeks ago at a huge cost," he said.
Describing music as his livelihood, Barnaba noted that the studio had become an important source of income and opportunity for many young people.
"Music is my job. This place supports many young people. My heart hurts. I have cried so much," he added.
Although first responders arrived quickly, the flames reportedly spread rapidly through the studio's acoustic insulation, overwhelming firefighting efforts.
Preliminary reports indicate that core mixing rooms, vocal booths and digital archiving servers suffered extensive damage. Authorities have since cordoned off the site and launched investigations into the cause of the fire.
Early speculation points to a possible electrical fault within the studio's high-voltage sound system, although officials are yet to confirm the cause.
Beyond the physical destruction, the fire is estimated to have caused losses of about TZS200 million (approximately KSh10.3 million).
HighTable Sound has played a key role in shaping modern Bongo Flava, hosting both established stars and emerging talent while producing music destined for major releases and festivals.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of support from artistes, fans and politicians, underscoring the studio's cultural significance.
Among those offering condolences, social media user @salomeimbuiray wrote, "Sorry," while @braybah_ole commented, "Daah pole sana."
As investigations continue, industry stakeholders are calling for stronger fire safety measures and improved insurance protection for creative businesses to safeguard artistic assets across Tanzania's music industry.