AN 88-YEAR-OLD grandpa died in Bulawayo’s mabutweni suburb
after his house was gutted by fire from a candle he was using following
prolonged Zesa load shedding on Friday night.
Mkhululi Ncube, who lived alone, was pronounced dead at
Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been rushed for medical treatment after the
incident that occurred at about 11PM.
The tragedy comes at a time when the country is enduring a
load shedding exercise going above the scheduled 10 hours in most instances.
A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited Ncube’s residence
where just a few mourners were gathered without proper plans to bury him.
Ncube’s neighbour Ms Anna Sigadula said neighbours had to
break through a door to gain entry into his house in an effort to rescue him.
“We were awakened by smoke that was coming from his room.
We called other neighbours and rushed to rescue him as we knew that he was
sick. However the door was locked so we had to smash it open. He had suffered
serious burns. We managed to put out the fire. It seems he could not escape the
inferno as he was sickly. We called an ambulance which ferried him to Mpilo
Central Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said Ms Sigadula.
She said the sad thing is that Ncube had no one to look
after him at his advanced age.
Ms Sigadula said power cuts were becoming a thorn in the
flesh for most residents and it was disheartening that Ncube lost his life as a
result of a fire that emanated from a candle.
“It seems he fell asleep without putting out the candle.
All this occurred following electricity load shedding imposed on us by Zesa,”
said Ms Sigadula.
For a moment the news crew thought that Ncube had been
buried as the few women who were at the house were cleaning the room.
Ncube’s relative Ms Thama Ncube, who arrived at the house
after his death said the situation was desperate as they do not have funds to
bury him.
“We don’t even know where to start. We don’t have money so
we can’t say when he would be buried. We are just hoping that the residents
could assist us in burying him. Those wishing to assist us can contact me or
send money on my Ecocash number 0784407637,” said Ms Ncube, herself an old
woman.
Bulawayo acting
police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said no foul play was suspected in
Ncube’s death.
“We received a case of sudden death where an 88-year-old
male died after he was severely burnt and succumbed to injuries after his room
caught fire following Zesa load shedding on Friday at about 11pm. He was
pronounced dead at Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been ferried for medical
treatment,” said Insp Ncube.
He appealed to residents to exercise caution in dealing
with lit candles during load shedding periods as more lives could be lost.
Chronicle
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