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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

A 49-YEAR-OLD man died after he fell headlong from a scaffold he was working from at the Hwange Power Station on Thursday morning.

Remington Katsumbe (49) of T46 Lusumbami Village in Hwange was employed as a general hand by Sino Hydro Corporation which is contracted by Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) on the Hwange Power Station Unit 7 and 8 expansion project.

He allegedly fell from a 3,5 metres high scaffold where he had been preparing mortar for construction work. 

Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira, confirmed the accident which he described as unfortunate.

“This is a very unfortunate incident where there was loss of life at the expansion project. He was not a Zesa employee but worked for our contractor and to us it’s a loss because as an organisation we value the sanctity of life and safety at the workplace. We are saddened because he was a family man who has left his family without a breadwinner,” he said.

Katsumbe allegedly slipped from the scaffold and his head hit an iron pipe before landing unconscious on the ground.

A source who witnessed the accident said Katsumbe was in the company of workmates when the accident occurred at around 8.30AM.

“Katsumbe was on duty at Hwange Power Station extension construction site with workmates and at about 8.30AM he slipped from the scaffold and fell headlong. He hit against a metal pipe with his head before landing on the ground where he became unconscious,” said the source.

ZPC safety health and environment team rushed Katsumbe to Hwange Colliery Hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

According to a report made to the police, Katsumbe did not sustain visible injuries.

The matter is being treated as a sudden death and no foul play is suspected. 

The body was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo for post-mortem. – @ncubeleon