A Chitungwiza businessman’s house was this afternoon gutted by fire with more than US$50 000 cash burnt inside and nearly all property worth over US$30 000 reduced to ashes in the inferno.

The whole metal roof of the seven-roomed house was destroyed.

While the cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained, the house owner Mr Petros Paurai said neighbours who witnessed the fire outbreak claimed that a gas tank exploded in the kitchen.

The incident, which has left the local community shell shocked, occurred around mid-day in Zengeza 4 at an area popularly known as Pagomba.