Eight members of the same family in Rujeko Suburb, Masvingo escaped death by a whisker when about 20m long tower light glided under a storm that hit the City on Tuesday afternoon and plunged onto the roof of six roomed house in Dhimba Close.
The same storm left a trail of destruction as it destroyed trees in many parts of the town and in particular the leafy suburb of Rhodhene. There was also a number electricity pylons poles that were brought down in Rujeko.
City Engineer Tawanda Gozo confirmed the incident and he suspected that one of the three legs of the tower light had aged and it gave in due to the heavy winds.
“Five children were playing in the kitchen and when the rains intensified they joined us in the dining room. There was a loud bang hardly before they sat down. We first thought that it was lightning but we became suspicious as water started pouring into the house through the roof. We checked and that is when we realised that the tower light had fallen on the roof.
“We had two spare bedrooms extensively damaged and the kitchen where the children had been playing. A bed, stove, laptop, plates and cabinets were damaged beyond repair.
“We thank the Almighty that we survived this,” said a visibly shaken Tendai Mahove the housewife.
“Investigations are still going on but it is suspected that one of the tower lights’ three legs gave in and the remaining two could not sustain the weight due to wind and probably ageing causing it to fall on the roof of the house to the east.
“As for compensation, the insurance will have to look into that and make a determination. We hope by tomorrow the wreckage would have been removed for repairs to be carried out at the house,” said Engineer Gozo.
One of the neighbours Tapiwa Musengi who witnessed the tower light slowly collapsing attributed the disaster to ageing and motorists who often  hit one of the legs when they reverse in the Close.
“I heard a sound of something cracking while in the dining and when I checked outside I could see the tower light slowly sliding towards Mahove’s house. I just stood there in shock and could not raise alarm.
“The third leg was rusty and just a disaster waiting to happen whenmotorists from time to time hit it as they reverse their vehicles in the narrow street,” said Musengi.
“Our sincere apologies. Council will definitely look into the issue and come out with one voice. We thank God there are no fatalities,” said the Mayor Hubert Fidze.
Richard Musekiwa councillor for ward 7 in Rujeko also promised that the Council will do everything in its capacity to assist the affected family.-Masvingo Mirror