The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sunday News Correspondent
FIRE this afternoon engulfed a section of the National Railways of Zimbabwe building in Bulawayo that saw scores of people rushing out of the building.
Witnesses said the fire engulfed a room in fifth floor that is part of Chrysolite House offices being leased by Lupane State University.
It is not clear what caused the fire but a student said it is suspected a heater could have started the fire, which was in a room used by cleaners.
A student at the university said she was studying adjacent to the room when she heard a man alerting people about the fire, with the fire alarm having gone off.
“There were men moving furniture out of some rooms as it is being taken to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair where it will be used for examinations next week and suddenly I heard one of them shout ‘umlilo, umlilo,’ that is when we stood up, collected our things and moved out of the room,” said the student who declined to be identified.
A woman who is suspected to have inhaled smoke caused by the fire, collapsed and was stretchered off in an ambulance.
Three fire tenders from the Bulawayo Fire Brigade attended the scene but left after a few minutes after the fire had been put out.
