Inferno consumes $20 000 property

A HOUSE in Kwekwe’s Gaika Park suburb was gutted by fire last week resulting in damages estimated at $20 000.

No one was injured in the inferno that was reportedly started by a six-year-old boy who was playing with matches in his bedroom.

The boy’s parents, Mr Walker Chipangura and his wife Ellen, were at work. Mrs Chipangura, however, collapsed upon receiving the news and was ferried to Topomas Clinic.

When The Herald news crew arrived at the scene, fire fighters were still battling to contain the fire.

Fungai Moyo, a maid who was at home with the toddler when the mishap took place, said the fire started at around 1420 hours.

“I was in the kitchen when the fire started. He just came to me and asked for a cup of water. I gave him, but never thought that there was anything that was amiss,” said Moyo.

Moyo said the boy then bolted out of the house after he realised he could not contain the fire.

“I went to inquire why he was running out of his bedroom and was greeted by smoke. I tried to put out the fire using a horse pipe, but failed,” she said.

Moyo said she only got assistance from passers-by who called the fire brigade.

She said Mr Chipangura’s vehicle a Mitsubishi Pajero, which was parked just next to the bedroom, was also removed by the passers-by. “They had to break the window of the car and push it away from danger otherwise it could have been reduced to ashes,” she said.

Acting Kwekwe chief fire officer Mr Calbert Ziwakaya said the family lost property worth about $20 000.

“The fire destroyed two bedrooms, part of the kitchen, part of the sitting room, toilet and pantry,” he said.

The family also lost documents like national identification cards, birth certificates, educational and professional certificates among other documents.

He said had it not been for Moyo’s quick response, the fire would have done more damage.

“We appreciate the effort put by the maid, otherwise it could have been worse than this. Her quick reaction saw us contain the fire before it spread to other rooms,” said Ziwakaya.

Ziwakaya urged parents and guardians to continually monitor their children’s movements.