House gutted as family watches helplessly

A family of Kasama’s Chikumanino Township has been left homeless after fire swept through their house destroying goods worth millions of Kwacha.

The incident happened yesterday afternoon when many people were watching the Zambia versus Norway International friendly match on their television sets.

Some eye-witnesses told ZANIS that the fire was caused by high voltage from a ZESCO power-line after electricity was restored in the area.

Alice Banda, the owner of the house that was gutted cried uncontrollably as she and her family members watch helplessly as their house was in flames.

Efforts by some neighbours to call for help from the fire brigade proved futile as the fire tender at Kasama Municipal Council was multifunctional.

And Kasama District Commission Kalanga Bwalya regretted the gutting of a house in Chikumanino Township and appealed to government to urgently procure modern fire tenders for the district to adequately fight fire outbreaks.

Mr Bwalya observed that the impact of the  inferno that destroyed valuable household goods in Chikumanino Township would have been minimized if the district had a reliable fire tender.

He however said government will provide temporal accommodation to the affected family.