Fierce fire that started due to an electrical fault in Lilongwe on Sunday razed down four houses at Katsukunya Village, Traditional Authority Chitukula, and destroyed property worth over MK1.6 million.

The houses were all grass-thatched and they were located where Escom’s power lines from Sunseed Company to Central Poultry Farm pass.

They caught fire when a branch of a tree tore off and fell on the power lines causing them to come into contact with one another, igniting a spark that grew into a fierce fire, eyewitnesses told Mana.

Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) Police confirmed the accident saying the fire had destroyed all the property from three of the houses while the owner of the fourth house managed to rescue his belongings.

“The power lines were right above the houses,” explained KIA Police Public Relations Officer, Sapulain Chitonde. “We visited the scene together with Escom staff who advised the victimized families to get a police report for further intervention.”

According to Chitonde, three of the four families have lost property worth MK700,000; MK173,300; and MK750,000 respectively.

The police have since warned against building houses near or below power lines to avoid such accidents. mana.