Online Reporter
Obey Sibanda
A NKULUMANE 12 family is counting its blessings after the Bulawayo Fire Brigade swooped in just in time to stop a raging inferno from burning down their six-roomed home.
Property worth an estimated ZiG945 000 was on the line when flames erupted early Tuesday morning, reportedly sparked by an electrical gadget that had been left plugged in and unattended.
Bulawayo chief fire officer Mhlangano Moyo said the distress call came from a quick-thinking neighbour, identified only as Mutsi, who noticed the flames licking through the house and immediately phoned for help.
“When our crew arrived, the house was already alight, with fire concentrated in the bedroom and the sitting room,” said Moyo. “We managed to salvage 50 percent of the property and no injuries were sustained. Only two rooms were affected.”
He said the brigade was also organising a tarpaulin to cover the damaged roof as rains persist.
“As we enter the wet season, we urge people to report fires promptly and to switch off electrical gadgets when they are not in use,” he said.
For the shaken family, it was a close call… and a timely reminder that one forgotten device can spark a disaster.
derick.khumalo