Peter Matika, Zimpapers Reporter
A WOMAN died after being trapped inside a house that caught fire in Iminyela in the early hours of Monday, while a man who escaped the inferno suffered severe burns.
The incident occurred at about 3AM, with neighbours initially battling the flames using buckets of water before firefighters arrived.
Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo said the woman was found severely burnt and lying face down under a bed during a search of the three-roomed house.
“A search and rescue operation was conducted and one adult female occupant was located inside the affected house severely burnt and suspected dead-on-arrival,” said Mr Moyo.
A male occupant, identified as Tymon, reportedly fled the burning house but was later found near Nketa Drive and Hyde Park Road by a passerby.
He had apparently been overcome by smoke and sustained serious third-degree burns before being rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital in a Fire and Ambulance Service vehicle.
Mr Moyo said the fire was concentrated in a bedroom, destroying about 80 percent of its contents.
Preliminary investigations indicate that cellphone charging cables and associated charging equipment could have been the source of the fire, with overheating or an electrical fault suspected to have ignited nearby combustible material.
“Firefighters arrived at the property at about 3:25AM after being alerted six minutes earlier,” Mr Moyo said.
He said police from West Commonage were left in charge of the scene as investigations continue to establish the exact cause of the fire.
