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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
PROPERTY worth thousands of dollars was destroyed when a four-roomed thatched cottage caught fire in Manningdale suburb in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo chief fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson said when the brigade arrived at the scene, the fire had already affected the entire structure and the roof had collapsed in all rooms.
The fire occurred at around 12PM on Saturday.
“When the fire fighters arrived at the scene, they found the entire four- roomed outbuilding engulfed with smoke, roof already collapsed and household contents still burning and everything was severely damaged.
“A garden hose- pipe and buckets of water were strewn around indicating that occupants and neighbours had tried to fight the fire at its early stages while they waited for the brigade,” said Mr Peterson.
He said they suspected that sparks from welding operations on the thatched roof ignited it.
Mr Peterson said Zesa electrical cables leading to the building next door were also damaged by fire.
Meanwhile, a Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) branch along 13th Avenue and Fort Street in Bulawayo caught fire at around 2 AM on that same day.
Little damage resulted from the inferno.
Mr Peterson said the fire involved a ceiling board around the fluorescent lighting unit. An electrical fault is suspected to have caused the fire.
“Security guards on duty were already in attendance when the brigade arrived at the scene.”
The Chief Fire Officer warned members of the public to report any electrical faults before they cause damage and to be extra careful especially with electrical appliances to avoid fire outbreaks. — @winnie_masara
Online Reporter