Portia
Rutendo
Ncube
says
she
still
relives
the
terrifying
moments
of
Tuesday
afternoon,
when
she
raced
from
work
to
her
flat
in
Bulawayo’s
central
business
district
fearing
she
would
lose
her
children.
The
fire
broke
out
on
Tuesday
afternoon
at
a
residential
block
between
4th
and
5th
Avenue
along
Lobengula
Street,
gutting
the
family’s
apartment
and
leaving
them
without
a
home.
Ms
Ncube
said
she
was
at
her
workplace
at
Fidelity
Building
shortly
after
lunch
when
she
received
a
distressing
phone
call
from
her
house
help.
“Her
voice
was
full
of
fear.
She
said
there
is
smoke
coming
into
the
house.
As
soon
as
I
heard
her
voice
shaking,
I
grabbed
my
bag
and
rushed,”
said
Ms
Ncube.
She
said
ongoing
roadworks
along
Lobengula
Street
delayed
her
journey,
forcing
her
to
disembark
at
the
corner
of
4th
Avenue
and
run
to
the
apartment.
When
she
arrived,
the
main
entrance
to
the
flat
had
already
been
engulfed
by
flames.
Desperate
to
reach
her
children,
Ms
Ncube
entered
through
a
neighbouring
flat
but
found
the
connecting
door
locked.
With
no
other
way
in,
she
smashed
a
window
to
get
inside.
“I
went
to
the
window
that
did
not
have
burglar
bars
and
I
broke
it
with
my
hands,”
she
said.
“I
broke
the
window
and
got
my
baby
out.”
All
the
children
were
rescued
safely,
but
the
fire
destroyed
most
of
the
family’s
household
property.
Ms
Ncube
said
she
is
still
battling
trauma
and
chest
pains
after
inhaling
smoke
during
the
rescue.
“Even
though
we
lost
property,
we
thank
God
for
the
preservation
of
life.
I
felt
if
I
delayed,
it
was
going
to
be
bad
news,”
she
said.
The
fire
is
suspected
to
have
started
in
a
downstairs
section
of
the
building,
reportedly
due
to
an
electrical
fault
linked
to
refrigeration
equipment.
The
intense
heat
and
thick
smoke
caused
ceilings
to
collapse
and
melted
household
appliances
beyond
repair.
However,
some
critical
family
documents,
including
certificates,
were
saved.
The
family
is
now
urgently
looking
for
accommodation
while
trying
to
rebuild
their
lives.
Ms
Ncube
has
appealed
to
members
of
the
public
for
financial
assistance
to
help
secure
shelter
and
replace
essential
household
items.
“I
would
appreciate
any
financial
help
from
people
because
I
have
to
look
for
accommodation
and
buy
property,”
she
said.
Those
willing
to
assist
can
contact
Portia
Rutendo
Madzivire
on 0777574619.
Financial
contributions
can
also
be
sent
via
bank
deposit
to:
Bank
Name:
Stanbic Account
Name: Portia
R
Ncube Account
Number: 9140008966469
Post
published
in:
Featured