A FAMILY in Mufulira escaped death when fire swept through their house on Hombwe Avenue as they were asleep.

Unidentified people heaped tyres on the kitchen door and set them on fire and it is suspected that the intention was to kill the occupants as nothing was stolen from the house.

The house is owned by Ms Violet Mufulo Walamba, who is a Teacher at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) Trust School and a daughter of veteran freedom fighter and trade unionist Timothy Walamba.

Mr Walamba confirmed to the Daily Nation in Kitwe that house number 50 Hombwe Avenue had been burnt to ashes by suspected thieves who failed to gain entry.

“This is a disaster for my daughter and I am appealing to sympathisers to come out and help her to start her life afresh. This is devastating and that is why I decided to travel to Mufulira to console her on this disaster,’’ Mr Walamba said.

Mr Walamba explained that unidentified people torched the house using types which they heaped on the kitchen door and set them ablaze.

He said one family member, who was still awake, noticed some smoke entering the house and conducted a check.

“They all woke up and started calling for help after noticing that there was a fire spreading from the kitchen door. Some neighbours came and they tried to quench the fire using water from buckets but failed,” Mr Walamba said.

The incident happed in the early hours of Thursday.

He said the fire brigade from Mopani and Mufulira Municipal Council arrived at the scene when the fire had already advanced.

Mr Walamba suspected that the motive was to burn his daughter’s family in the house, but luckily her husband noticed the fire before it spread.