Reports say the fire started at around 2 PM and it is suspected that it was caused by a veld fire.
The incident has been confirmed by both Chikomba District Schools’ Inspector (DSI) Emmanuel Kwenda and Mash East Environmental Education and Publicity Officer Astas Mabwe.
The cottage is an old farm house where the teachers shared accommodation and some of the goods lost in the fire include clothes, blankets, beds, wardrobes, refrigerators, food and kitchen appliances.
The fire outbreak was discovered by school pupils who were coming from extra lessons at a nearby secondary school and the teachers had to use water and tree branches to put out the fire. Some teachers managed to bring out some of goods like mattresses, buckets, kitchen unit and clothes.
The fire was finally put out after an hour and no one was injured.
Mash East Police spokesperson Simon Chazovachii said he was yet to get a report on the fire.
“I can confirm that a teachers’ cottage at one of our schools was gutted by fire. It is a sad development especially during the current economic challenges for people to lose property this way,” said Kwenda.
A team from Chikomba Rural District Council, Education, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) together with the Furterstone police attended the scene while the Zimbabwe Republic Police provincial spokesperson, Inspector Simon Chazovachiii said he is yet to receive a report on the incident.
Mabwe advised farmers, schools and other institutions to guard against veld fires through making fire guards.
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