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Patient Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
AN 80-year-old granny from Bulawayo’s Old Luveve suburb in Bulawayo survived an inferno when her six roomed house caught fire as she was home alone.

Elizabeth Mavolwane was hospitalised for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation following the incident that occurred on Tuesday at around 6PM.

She told The Chronicle that the fire started in her sitting room and spread to other rooms. She said the fire started when power supplies were restored after a period of load shedding.

“I was alone when the incident happened. I only saw smoke emanating from my sitting room. I then realised that it was fire as I felt too much heat.

My neighbours jumped over my pre-cast wall to help. My neighbour took me out of the house. All my property that was in the sitting room, kitchen and spare bedroom was damaged,” she said.

Mavolwane said she was ferried to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.

“I was given medicine. I’m now feeling better and I hope I will be fine. I nearly died,” she said.

On the neighbour who saved her life she said: “He saved my life. I really thank him. I could’ve died in fire.”

Bulawayo Chief Fire officer Richard Peterson said the fire was caused by an electrical fault.

“The value of the property that was lost was estimated at $5,000.

“We received a call at 18:10PM and we arrived at 18:15PM. We managed to stop the fire before it engulfed all rooms.

“An 80-year-old granny suffered from smoke inhalation and she sustained minor injuries. She was ferried to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment,” said Peterson.

Another house in Bulawayo’s Mzilikazi suburb was gutted by fire on Wednesday at around 10PM and property worth about $3,000 was damaged.

Peterson said the owner of the house delayed to call the fire brigade as they were busy removing their property out of the house.

“The fire was caused by a stove which was left switched on by its user,” he said.