Zimpapers Logo

Whinsley Masara/Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporters
FOUR Zesa employees have been hospitalised after they were severely burnt following an explosion that occurred while they were working on an electric fault in Bulawayo’s city centre.

The incident occurred at around 11AM on Wednesday morning while they were working on a circuit breaker behind Zapalala Supermarket which is located along Herbert Chitepo Street between Leopold Takawira Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

The injured were identified as Zwelitsha Tshuma (50), Trust Ncube (27), Ananias Ngwebu (53) and Tracy Dliwayo (26).
Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Richard Peterson confirmed the incident.

“We can’t immediately confirm what transpired but an explosion is suspected to have occurred, injuring three men and a female in the process.

“They all sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to Mater Dei Hospital where they are being attended to,” he said.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association Bulawayo provincial chairperson Cde Cephas Ncube, whose son, Trust is among those who were burnt in the explosion, said he could not immediately comment as he was in shock.

No comment could be obtained immediately from Zesa.

Meanwhile, the second suspected copper cable thief who was seriously burnt in an incident that killed his alleged accomplice on Monday night has also died.

Norman Moyo, 22, sustained severe burns while his accomplice Elmon Ndlovu died at the crime scene as they were stealing the cables in Nkenyane along the Bulawayo-Nkayi road.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed that Moyo had succumbed to the burns.

“I can confirm that we received information to the effect that the suspect who had severe burns died at Mpilo Central Hospital where he was admitted in the early hours of today (yesterday),” she said.

Insp Simango warned the public against tampering with Zesa infrastructure as it was dangerous and illegal.

Theft of copper cables has been on the rise in recent years, with Government saying it has led to delays in implementation of projects as a lot of money is lost replacing them.

Some vandals have been jailed while others have died while attempting to steal copper cables.

Sometime last year, an unidentified man was found dead hanging on an electric pole in Queens Park East suburb   after being electrocuted by an 11 000-volt power line.

Last month, two other people were sentenced to 20 years in jail for stealing Zesa cables worth $1 925 from a power line in Figtree.

In February, three Bulawayo men were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing Zesa copper cables in Figtree.—@andile_tshuma -@winnie_masara