A FIRE gutted down a portion of a hostel at Hillside Teachers College   in Bulawayo on Friday morning, destroying property worth an estimated $1 million.

Bulawayo police assistant spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident saying an entire hostel floor was gutted down by fire.

“We attended to a scene where a fire broke out at a hostel at Hillside Teachers College. The fire brigade was swift and managed to put out the fire before it razed down the entire hostel,” said Insp Ncube.

An official at the institution who declined to be named said they were not sure of the cause of the fire.

“Investigations are still being carried out and we are yet to ascertain the cause. The entire second floor was gutted down and students have been left stranded,” said the official. 

Student Representative Council (SRC) president Mr Hurry Mudenda said some of the occupants of the hostel were final year students.

“The entire second floor was burnt down, a few managed to save some of their belongings but the same cannot be said for others. Most of them were final year students, who are about to sit for their final exams,” said Mr Mudenda.