Thubelihle Mabhena Chronicle Reporter
A house in North End suburb, Bulawayo, was gutted by a fire which destroyed property and other valuables worth about $40,000.
Only a few pieces of household furniture were salvaged from the inferno which started at around 11.30AM on Sunday. No one was injured in the inferno.

When The Chronicle news team arrived at the scene, the fire had already been contained.

The owner of the house, identified only as MaNgwenya, 74, refused to comment.

Chief fire officer, Richard Peterson, confirmed the incident. He said the fire was started by an electrical appliance which was plugged in one of the bedrooms.

“The fire started in MaNgwenya’s bedroom at an undisclosed time. The family had left an appliance plugged in for sometime before it overheated, melted and ignited leading to the fire,” said Peterson.

“It seems there was a delay in discovering the fire outbreak as the family was sitting outside having lunch. MaNgwenya’s 12-year-old grandson discovered the fire and alerted his grandmother outside,” he said.

Peterson said the family delayed in contacting the fire brigade since they did not have the contact details.

He said a neighbour later reported the fire at North End Fire Station but unfortunately there was no one as the whole crew had gone to Sunnyside suburb to retrieve the body of a suspected robber that had drowned in a 30-metre well on Saturday at around 6.30PM.

“The Famona Fire Station received the fire report at around 12.35PM from one Vaneesen. It took only five minutes for them to arrive at the scene but by then the whole roof was in flames.

“The family managed to remove two refrigerators, couches, double bed, book shelves and pots. The total value of the property lost was $40,000,” said Peterson.

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