Patient Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
Property worth $140,000 was destroyed when a fire gutted a seven-roomed house in Bulawayo’s Kumalo suburb.

The owner of the house who only identified himself as J Ndlovu said four people were lucky to escape with no injuries in the fire that started at around 8PM on Thursday last week.

He said he suspects a candle caused the fire.

“I suspect that my daughter might have left a lit candle in another room where the fire started.

“The candle then ignited curtains. I was studying in another room and my daughter and my wife called me after they saw smoke. The roof exploded but we managed to escape from the inferno,” said Ndlovu.

He said the fire brigade arrived late when the house was already engulfed in flames.

Ndlovu said there was no electricity when the incident happened.

“I lost all of my property and we’re now sleeping in a cottage,” said Ndlovu.

He appealed for assistance from well-wishers saying he can be contacted on 0772 399 800.

When The Chronicle crew visited the house yesterday Ndlovu appeared to be still in shock over the incident.

Bulawayo chief fire officer, Richard Peterson said the fire was caused by a candle which might have ignited the house curtains.

Peterson said the fire damaged about 95 percent of the house.

“The estimated value of property was $150,000 and the estimated loss was $140, 000,”

“We arrived at the scene when the house was already in flames. No one was injured,” said Peterson.

He said they received a call at 8:23pm and they arrived at 8:27pm.

“They delayed calling the fire brigade after they asked for emergency numbers from neighbours and it took time for them to contact us,” he said.

Last week a house in Bulawayo’s Parklands suburb was gutted by fire when an electric iron was left unattended and property worth $45,000 was destroyed.

This month, two houses in Bulawayo’s Bellevue and Emakhandeni suburb were gutted by fire. Five people were hospitalised after they sustained injuries in the infernos.

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