Siphakeme .Mnindwa
A harrowing incident occurred at Tshabanda Business Centre in Tsholotsho on Wednesday evening when a woman sustained severe burns after her rented shop was engulfed by a devastating fire.
The incident is suspected to have been caused by a petrol explosion, highlighting the dangers associated with the illegal fuel business.
The victim has been identified as Blessing Dube, whose age could not be ascertained. Together with her husband, Dube is believed to have been operating an illicit petrol business from the shop.
Eyewitnesses shared the frightening scene, describing how community members courageously intervened to extricate Dube from the inferno, rescuing her from behind the burning counter.
The inferno’s aftermath was still visible at Tshabanda Business Centre on Thursday, with people discussing the traumatic experience.
The shop has now been reduced to a charred shell, serving as a sobering reminder of the explosion’s devastating impact.
The shop’s owner, Loveletter Ndebele, disclosed that she had initially rented the shop to the Dubes, intending them to sell groceries.
She, however, later discovered that they had been peddling fuel illegally from the premises, an alarming revelation that now casts a long shadow over the incident.
“I can’t really narrate how the fire started, but one of my children informed me on Monday that the couple was now selling petrol in my shop. I had intended to come and confront them as we know that the shop was a general dealer trader store as opposed to a fuel station.
“But before the end of the day, we received news that the shop had been burnt. They said she had just sold the petrol to someone before the fire engulfed the building,” she said.
Ndebele was distressed, saying the shop was her inheritance and a vital source of income for paying her children’s school fees and supporting her family. Her husband, Method Mpofu, added that Dube sustained serious burns and was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital.
“We can’t hide it; they were selling petrol here. She suffered serious burns and was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital. She and her husband, Steward Dube, were renting this shop from my wife, Loveletter Ndebele. What we have been told is the fire occurred just a few minutes after buying petrol. But we are not clear how the fire started,” said Mpofu.
He said while the flames were blazing, a man jumped into the fire to save her.
“We have one of the community members, who is a hero. He faced the raging fire and lifted that young lady from behind the shop counter to safety. There was also a gas tank, but we don’t know how it didn’t explode. We have suffered serious losses,” he said.
Some community members narrated how even teachers from Tshabanda Primary School made efforts to save the property to no avail.
“The shop was heavily stocked and a substantial amount of property was lost here,” said one community members.
Mpilo Central Hospital spokesperson, Matron Noma Mabhena, confirmed that the hospital was attending to Dube, saying she reported that the fire was caused by a gas explosion.
“We have an adult patient from Tshabanda, who is being treated following a gas explosion. Her burns are not very serious. Both her lower limbs were burnt and an upper left limb was burnt. By lower limbs, I mean the legs and the upper ones we mean the hands,” said Mabhena.
The Chronicle news crew could not get a comment from Dube as she declined to field questions. – @nqotshili
