By Lorraine Ndebele
A veld fire in Sengu village has claimed the lives of three teenagers, Environment Management Agency (EMA) has said.
The fire is believed to have started in nearby vlei, on the eastern side of the Wiridza family homestead, an area around 15-20km south east of Dema growth point.
“The veld resulted in 3 deaths of male children belonging to Wiridza family,” EMA said.
“The fire is alleged to have started around 8pm on the day in question. The Wiridza family and neighbours woke up and put out the fire which had affected portions of their plots and they later retreated to their homes. Around 12 midnight, the neighbours woke up and ran to a Wiridza homestead where a hut had caught fire and to assist in rescuing the occupants. However they failed to rescue the children who were all burnt to death after the kitchen roof gave in.”
Preliminary investigations revealed that when the victims and neighbours retreated to their homes, there was a small fire that had not been put out thought to have grown into a big fire burning in the direction of the Wiridza homestead.
Close to the hut was a pole and thatch grass bath room that eventually caught fire and is the one that is thought to have spread to the roof of the kitchen hut.
“Inside the kitchen, were three male children who had been left at their homestead by their parents who had gone to the market in Jambanja area in Chitungwiza,” EMA said.
The three male children, have been identified as Anesu Widzira (18), Kundai Widzira (11), Tadiwa Widzira (7) who were left at their homestead by their parents Miros Waridza and Winnet Muchenje while they had gone to the market in Jambanja area in Chitungwiza town.
“Around 11pm and 12 midnight, the neighbours woke up to a lit surrounding and ran to a Wiridza homestead were there was the only hut that had caught fire,” EMA said.
The fire destroyed an average of two hectares in total as well as two bags of fertilizer, four bags cement, three mattresses, wheel barrow, clothes and identification particulars.
The bodies were taken for post mortem on Monday, the police were to further conduct investigation to identify the causer and establish circumstances leading to the death of the three children.
