PROPERTY worth ZWL$25 000 was lost in an inferno when a fire broke out at a house in Mpopoma on Tuesday evening
The incident which occurred around 8pm could have been caused by a candle which was left on in one of the bedrooms.
Bulawayo Acting Chief Fire Officer, Linos Phiri confirmed the incident saying the incident occurred due to careless discarded lit material.
“A six roomed private residential house measuring approximately 11 meters by 9 meters built of brick under corrugated asbestos sheets. One bedroom of a six roomed house was found alight with residents battling the inferno using buckets of water,” said Phiri.
Phiri said the occupants were using a candle for lighting and fire wood for cooking outside.
“The fire started in one room and was confined there, with some contents severely damaged by fire while some were affected by heat and smoke. Fire brigade used one hose reel from Emergency tender three to put out the fire, augmented from water tender three.”
He added that the occupant of the room, Nogaite Phuti admitted to using a candle but was adamant that she did not leave it on in her room.
“Another tenant, Mr G. Dzingisa told the brigade that their neighbor Phuthi was using a candle which she left unattended in the room,” he said.
“Queen Thabo, daughter of Phuthi indicated that she was cooking outside using fire wood when the fire occurred. Mrs P Ndlovu, a neighbor and relative to the owner of the house indicated there was no electricity and she suspects human error as the cause of the fire.”
Phiri said 30 percent of the property in the room was lost by fire while 25 percent was damaged by heat and smoke.
