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Sibongile Mpofu stands in front of Redwood Clinic in Umguza District that was destroyed by a veld fire on Tuesday. Inset: Villagers wait to be treated at a temporary clinic

Loveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
A Clinic in Umguza District was destroyed on Tuesday by a veld fire that was started by a villager who was clearing his field. Redwood Clinic, which was built and handed to the community by the area’s National Assembly member Cde Obert Mpofu, lost drugs and furniture in the fire.

The incident, which occurred at the 60 kilometre peg along the Victoria Falls Road, is estimated to have destroyed 90 percent of the clinic’s property.

Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Richard Peterson confirmed the incident. He said a man only identified as Ndlovu was clearing his field and the fire spread all over the area after he failed to control it.

“The clinic lost about 90 percent of its property due to a fire which was started by a villager who resides 500 metres away from the Clinic,” Peterson said.

He said clinic’s thatched veranda first caught fire and spread to the tiled roof.

Peterson said no deaths and injuries were recorded.

Samson Moyo, a villager, said they tried to put out the fire using soil but they were overwhelmed.

“We tried to put out the fire by using soil and we failed because the fire was too strong and needed a fire brigade team,” he said.

Moyo added that most of the time, the clinic functions without water and on Tuesday its taps were also dry, making it hard for them to put out the fire.

Another villager, Sibongile Mpofu, said they would encounter some difficulties as they would have to travel approximately 25 kilometres to the nearest clinic.