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Senior Reporter
PROPERTY worth thousands of dollars went up in smoke when fire gutted a staff hostel at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) yesterday.
No one was injured. Terrified hospital staff among them nurses, doctors and technicians were forced to flee their rooms as the raging inferno spread across the double storey Robbie Gibson compound, popularly known as Infectious Diseases Hostel (IDH).
Witnesses who spoke to Chronicle said the fire started in one of the top rooms on the eastern wing at about 9am.
The building is said to have a capacity to house about 20 families.
“Fire started from a room occupied by one of us on the top floor. The occupant left the heater on next to the bed and the bed later caught fire.
“We realised there was fire in his room but could not put it out because the door was locked. We broke the windows but at that time the fire had already spread,” said the witness.
Another witness who lives downstairs said she was alerted by the smell of smoke.
“I became curious because of this strange smell and when I went outside my room I was shocked to see the building engulfed in smoke. Everyone was screaming and people were rushing out of the building, ” said the witness.
“The fire brigade arrived quickly but could not save any property in the top rooms. We have not seen anything like that before. It is shocking.”
When the news crew arrived at the scene, fire fighters were battling to put out the fire.
Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Richard Peterson could be seen running around the building issuing instructions to his troops.
One of the affected female staff members could not hold her tears when asked to explain what happened.
“You are asking me questions when all my property has been destroyed,” she said, as she sobbed bitterly.
Some staff members on the ground floor were busy removing property from their rooms as they feared the fire could spread to the floor while others could be seen clutching onto their important documents such as certificates.
Scores of members of the public and hospital staff, stood helpless at a distance as they watched the building burning.
Others were seen running to and from trying to take photographs and videos of the unfolding drama with their cell phones and ipads.
There were reports that some of the staff members who lost their property were admitted for shock treatment.
UBH spokesperson Matron Nobuhle Thaka who also attended the scene said no one was injured.
“No one was injured except that property was damaged. I cannot give the exact number of staff members who stay here because I have to confirm with our operations director first,” said Matron Thaka.
Contacted for comment later in the day Mr Peterson said they were yet to ascertain the cause of fire as the occupant of the room where the fire started was yet to be located.
“Fire started in one of the rooms on the eastern wing of the top floor. We want to interview the person in whose room the fire started to establish what really happened.
“The fire spread quickly to those rooms through the ceiling because there are no walls to separate each room’s roof,” said Mr Peterson.
He however said he could not give the number of affected rooms but said the fire fighters managed to save two rooms and a kitchen. Rooms on the ground floor were not affected.”
Mr Peterson said the fire brigade did everything in their power to contain the fire despite complaints by members of the public at the scene who felt his team was slow to react.
“People expect a lot from fire fighters but with fire miracles do not happen. Infact our team was all over and we had six hose lines,” he said.
Online Reporter