AN 88-YEAR-OLD grandpa died in Bulawayo’s Mabutweni Suburb after his house was gutted by fire from a candle he was using following prolonged Zesa load shedding on Friday night.

Mkhululi Ncube, who lived alone, was pronounced dead at Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been rushed for medical treatment after the incident that occurred at about 11PM.

The tragedy comes at a time when the country is enduring a load shedding exercise going above the scheduled 10 hours in most instances.
A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited Ncube’s residence where just a few mourners were gathered without proper plans to bury him.

Ncube’s neighbour Ms Anna Sigadula said neighbours had to break through a door to gain entry into his house in an effort to rescue him.

“We were awakened by smoke that was coming from his room. We called other neighbours and rushed to rescue him as we knew that he was sick. However the door was locked so we had to smash it open. He had suffered serious burns.

We managed to put out the fire. It seems he could not escape the inferno as he was sickly. We called an ambulance which ferried him to Mpilo Central Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said Ms Sigadula.

She said the sad thing is that Ncube had no one to look after him at his advanced age.State media