News / Local
Fire engulf old people's home, 110 year-old granny escapes unhurt
14 Aug 2014 at 06:38hrs | Views
A 110-year old granny and 31 other elderly people escaped unhurt yesterday as an inferno engulfed an old people's home where they are resident.
The granny laboured to safety on her own but many of her colleagues at the centre who can no longer walk on their own, had to be wheeled out of the burning home.
The fire was first noticed around 0700AM, when some were still asleep and 16 out of 38 rooms at the centre were destroyed.
Bulawayo chief fire officer, Richard Peterson confirmed the incident that occurred at the Salvation Army-run Ralstein House situated along Masotsha Ndlovu Street in Bulawayo.
An elderly woman at the home said she woke up to screams that there was a fire.
"I heard screaming and someone shouting fire, fire. I managed to walk to the room where I found one of the residents trying to put out the fire with water. The fire quickly grew and a thick black smoke began choking us," she said.
She said they stumbled out while most of the residents were helped out.
"I am a hypertension and diabetic patient. I lost all my medication and everything I had in my room," she added.
An assistant manager who only identified himself as Major Zindi confirmed that all residents escaped unhurt. "No one is hurt including a 110 year-old but I am sorry I can't comment any further," he said.
Zindi declined to grant the news crew access to the 110 year-old or release her name.
A neighbour Nomsa Mabhena said she rushed to the scene when she heard the fire brigade sirens.
"When I got to the scene the fire was raging and the elderly were being wheeled out of the blaze in their wheel chairs. They were shocked and choking from the smoke," said.
When a Chronicle news crew arrived, the fire brigade was still putting off the fire while the elderly had been moved to similar facility nearby.
Peterson said 16 of the 38 rooms were damaged.
"I can't give you the cost as the firemen are still on the scene. The home had a synthetic ceiling and wooden floors which fuelled the fire," he said.
Peterson advised the public to have emergency numbers in their phones so that they can quickly report any accident.
Lately the city has witnessed an increase in fires incidents.
Last week a Bulawayo man was burnt to death after petrol bombing his estranged girlfriend in Sauerstown suburb.
The granny laboured to safety on her own but many of her colleagues at the centre who can no longer walk on their own, had to be wheeled out of the burning home.
The fire was first noticed around 0700AM, when some were still asleep and 16 out of 38 rooms at the centre were destroyed.
Bulawayo chief fire officer, Richard Peterson confirmed the incident that occurred at the Salvation Army-run Ralstein House situated along Masotsha Ndlovu Street in Bulawayo.
An elderly woman at the home said she woke up to screams that there was a fire.
"I heard screaming and someone shouting fire, fire. I managed to walk to the room where I found one of the residents trying to put out the fire with water. The fire quickly grew and a thick black smoke began choking us," she said.
She said they stumbled out while most of the residents were helped out.
"I am a hypertension and diabetic patient. I lost all my medication and everything I had in my room," she added.
An assistant manager who only identified himself as Major Zindi confirmed that all residents escaped unhurt. "No one is hurt including a 110 year-old but I am sorry I can't comment any further," he said.
Zindi declined to grant the news crew access to the 110 year-old or release her name.
A neighbour Nomsa Mabhena said she rushed to the scene when she heard the fire brigade sirens.
"When I got to the scene the fire was raging and the elderly were being wheeled out of the blaze in their wheel chairs. They were shocked and choking from the smoke," said.
When a Chronicle news crew arrived, the fire brigade was still putting off the fire while the elderly had been moved to similar facility nearby.
Peterson said 16 of the 38 rooms were damaged.
"I can't give you the cost as the firemen are still on the scene. The home had a synthetic ceiling and wooden floors which fuelled the fire," he said.
Peterson advised the public to have emergency numbers in their phones so that they can quickly report any accident.
Lately the city has witnessed an increase in fires incidents.
Last week a Bulawayo man was burnt to death after petrol bombing his estranged girlfriend in Sauerstown suburb.
Source - chronicle
