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Tsenulo Moyo and Amos Mpofu

Zimpapers writers

THE Vella family from Bulawayo’s Suburbs area will never forget 28 July 2024, when fire ravaged their home and reduced to ashes nearly all their possessions.

Caused by a suspected electrical fault, the blaze left them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Approximately $350 000 worth of property was lost in the fire.

The fire started around 11:30 p.m.

The fire started in the kitchen and quickly spread throughout the house, which has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a lounge, a dining room, and a kitchen.

Fortunately, the occupants were able to escape through a bedroom window.

The fire originated from the kitchen, where the main exit was blocked. They were able to escape and thanks to the design of the burglars’ bars, which allowed them to remove the screws.

The Chronicle visited the site, and the visuals from inside are disturbing, with almost everything reduced to ashes.

The owner of the house Mrs Ntombizanele Vella said:

“I first saw the lights flickering on and off, then an explosion followed before the fire started,” said Mrs Vella.

She said her home security guard alerted her to the fire by knocking on her bedroom window.

She said there were three people inside the house when the fire started: herself, her baby, and the baby’s caretaker.

“We exited through an emergency exit window located in my bedroom. Fortunately, we managed to unscrew the screws used to attach the burglar bars and escape,” she said.

Mrs Vella expressed her dissatisfaction with the fire brigade team, which she said was called several times but did not arrive until her neighbour had to drive to their Famona base to fetch them.

“The fire brigade was called immediately but only arrived at the scene after my neighbour had gone in person to their Famona base to fetch them. Unfortunately, they came without water to extinguish the fire, and by the time they tried to help, the house was nearly completely destroyed,” she said.

Mrs Vella said the valuables lost in the fire could be worth approximately US$$350 000. The windows, roof, and walls look like they have been hit by a powerful explosive.

She called upon all well-wishers to come forward with any assistance they can offer.

Mrs Vella applauded her neighbours and friends for the financial support, food, and children’s clothing they are providing to help her family.

She said she would love to rebuild and restore her home because of the memories attached to it, but she lacks the funds to do so. – Chronicle