03/01/2026
New Year fireworks kill Lusaka grandma
A GRANDMOTHER aged 70 of Lusaka’s Chelston area died in the early hours of New Year’s Day after her blood pressure reportedly shot up following loud fireworks.
Prior to her death, Belita Muponda woke up shortly after experiencing what she described as bomb-like bangs from fireworks at around midnight, complaining of a feeling of suffocation.
A neighbour, Lister Mulenga, said Ms Muponda explained after waking up that she was struggling to breathe, repeatedly saying, “I’m failing to breathe.”
The deceased lived with her grandchildren and daughters.
Ms Mulenga said that when Ms Muponda woke up, she went into her daughter’s bedroom and informed her that she was failing to breathe, attributing her condition to the loud fireworks.
She was rushed to Chelston Clinic, where she reportedly told nurses that she had been agitated and frightened by the loud, bomb-like sounds of fireworks.
“The shock from the fireworks caused her blood pressure to rise to 200 over something,” Ms Mulenga said.
She said that everything unfolded quickly and unexpectedly.
Shortly after learning of her mother’s death, Ms Muponda’s daughter reportedly collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where she was put into a coma but is now recovering.
The matter was reported to Chelston Police but police said they are yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Credit: Zambia Daily Mail
