$45 000 property destroyed as fire guts house

FIRE gutted a Rusape house and destroyed property worth about $45 000 last Friday.

Rusape District police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean said the house belonging to Mr Josphat Mudonhi, a teacher at Highveld Primary School, was reduced to a shell due to a suspected electrical fault.

“On October 13 at around 930am, Josphat Mudonhi (43) of house number 36, Chingaira Street proceeded to his workplace leaving no one at the house.

“At around 10am, Mudonhi received a phone call from a neighbour, John Chimuso, informing him of the fire. Mudonhi rushed home where upon his house was under fire. Police attended the scene together with the fire brigade which failed to put out the fire.

“The source of the fire was not established save for suspicion of electrical fault. Value of the burnt property is $45 000,” said Asst Insp Clean.

In an interview, Rusape Lead Fire Fighter, Mr Charles Musoni, said the fire tender used was meant for road traffic accident fires.

“The carrying capacity of this motor rescue pump is only 420 litres which is enough to put out a road traffic accident fire. whereas one with a capacity of 1 800 litres or more is appropriate to put out building fires.

“We reacted quickly to the fire distress call, but we discovered that the security gate at the house was locked. We failed to break the gate in time because this fire tender did not come with components such as first aid box, bolt cutters, Morris door opener, communication radios, hammers, etc.

“We arrived when the fire had gutted just two rooms. We ran out of water and had to travel for a distance to refill because nearby hydrants had no water.

“If we had all the equipment and enough water the other rooms could have been saved. We have since recommended to management to purchase components worth 7 500 pounds,” said Mr Musoni.