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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
A prompt response by the Bulawayo Fire Brigade yesterday saved a Waterford house from burning following a frightening electrical fault that caused Zesa lines to spark overhead. While residents praised the uncharacteristically quick response by the fire fighters, they had no kind words for Zesa for taking almost two hours to respond to the near-catastrophe. The cracking, bluish sparks produced by power lines getting in contact with each other started at around 1pm and occurred intermittently over a 100m stretch of the high-voltage cables. Frightened residents promptly called Zesa who only responded at around 3pm.

A house along Richard Allan Road belonging to Councillor Silas Chigora had started burning in the ceiling with smoke billowing out. Neighbours rushed in to help his family to pull household furniture out, choking in the smoke. Shortly after the ceiling had started to smolder and after most of the household effects had been taken out, two fire tenders arrived. The firemen then managed to switch off power inside the house and put out the fire in the ceiling.

Residents said they were all traumatised by the experience as they nearly lost valuable property and possibly lives. The disgruntled residents said they informed Zesa about the faulty electrical line but the power utility took long to respond. Zondiwe Mudenda said she anticipated a disaster after seeing the faulty line and informed her husband who in turn called the councillor. “We feared for the worst. I sent my children to assist in removing property from the councillor’s house. I called my husband who them informed Chigora about the problem,” said Mudenda.

Clr Chigora was angered by Zesa’s late response. He said their delays could have been catastrophic to all residents. “There was danger that many houses could have been gutted by fire, especially those feeding from the same electrical line. I called the Zesa guys informing them about the fault and they promised to attend to it. I requested them that they disconnect electricity like they do during load shedding but they didn’t. The faulty cables were causing blue sparks which endangered all the houses,” he said.

Clr Chigora said if it was not for the swift response of the city’s Fire Brigade, his house could have been reduced to ashes. “I want to express my gratitude to the Fire Brigade for their swift action. I’ve heard complaints about the Fire Brigade’s delays from residents in the past but today they should be commended for acting swiftly. However, I’m gravely disappointed by Zesa whom I had to call over four times for them to attend to the faulty line and to my house ,” he said.

Clr Chigora said Zesa should have people’s welfare at heart as property could have been destroyed. Zesa’s Western region manager, Lovemore Chinaka, said he had not been informed about the Waterford problem. “I didn’t know about it. I’m hearing it for the first time from you,” said Chinaka.