House burns down after cellphone battery explodes

A lithium battery of a cellphone exploded in a fire leading to the burning down of a Tsholotsho homestead.

The incident occurred when a child dropped the battery while warming himself by the fire in the kitchen.

Within seconds, the kitchen hut caught fire which consumed the entire homestead.

Speaking days after the incident, the boy’s mother Viola Tshuma said she thought it was a dream when it happened as she watched from afar.

House burns down after cellphone battery explodes

“I had gone to fetch water around 7pm. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my homestead in flames. I thought it was a dream but reality knocked as I drew nearer.

“I still cannot come to terms with the tragedy. Imagine just going to collect water only to come back and be greeted by fierce flames of fire engulfing my three huts,” said Viola Tshuma.

The tragedy is a bitter pill to swallow for Tshuma and her family as they now huddle in a corner of one of the roofless huts when night falls.

“We live in roofless huts and all our property was destroyed, including food stuffs. Some concerned neighbours had to chip in with mealie-meal. If it wasn’t for them we could have been buried,” she said.

When tragedy struck only the children were at home. Luckily none was injured.

“He was with his sisters when the home burnt down. His mother had gone to fetch water. He told us that he dropped a battery in the fire and everything just blew up. We came when the damage was already done. Nothing was recovered,” said Sithabile Mathe, a neighbour.

Source-B metro