There was commotion yesterday afternoon at Tredgold Building in Bulawayo when personnel operating in Government departments housed there scurried for cover following a fire outbreak at one of the offices due to an electrical fault.
The incident, which attracted the attention of members of the public, occurred shortly after 1PM.
Property worth $2 000 was destroyed at one of the oldest trademark buildings in the city located between Fort Street and Herbert Chitepo Street along Leopold Takawira Avenue which houses the Bulawayo Labour Court, Provincial and Regional courts, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Surveyor-General’s Office, Deeds Registry, Department of Social Welfare, Umguza District Administrator’s Office, the National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (NECI) and Umguza District Development Fund (DDF).
When The Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene, scores of Government employees operating from the building could be seen trooping out of the property as smoke billowed out of the window of the affected office on the third floor.
A court interpreter who declined to be named said: “I was busy having lunch in my office with my colleague when I saw billows of smoke pouring out of one of the offices. In a split second, I picked my handbag and stormed out of the building.”
Another court official said fear and panic gripped him when he noticed a cloud of smoke in the corridor.
“I was on my way out of the building to buy lunch when I saw smoke all over the building and I panicked as I thought the entire building was on fire,” he said.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer, Mr Richard Peterson, said the fire emanated from a water heater.
“The fire was caused by a water heater, which was being used to boil water in a plastic container. The water boiled until it all evaporated resulting in the water heater igniting the container and subsequently causing fire,” he said.
Mr Peterson said property worth $2 000 which included a photocopier was destroyed and property worth $10 million was at risk.
He said no deaths or injuries were recorded.
“We would like to urge people to desist from boiling water in an open container. In fact, proper gadgets such as kettles should be used to boil water.
Whenever you use such gadgets and then you decide to leave the office make sure the plug is switched off,” said Mr Peterson.
The provincial magistrate in charge of Bulawayo metropolitan province Mr Enias Magate said the fire emanated from an office belonging to the NECI on the third floor.
“The fire emanated from the NECI office on third floor. However, there was no significant damage to property save for a photocopier and fire fighters from the Bulawayo Fire and Rescue Service reacted swiftly and contained the fire before it spiralled out of control,” he said.
Mr Magate said no court sessions were affected since the fire broke out during lunch time. The Chronicle
