Beitbridge Bureau Chief
Four family members from the Madlambuzi area of Plumtree, among them toddlers aged three and one-and-a-half years-old, were on Monday night burnt to death when the bedroom hut they were sleeping in caught fire.
The incident occurred close to midnight in Maseha Village under Headman Senganyo.
Police spokesman for Matabe-leland South, Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe, said they were still investigating the matter.
He said a Plumtree magistrate had waived post-mortems.
Insp Dzirutwe identified the deceased as Agalucia (35), Polite (28), Gertrude (three) and Nkosinomusa Phiri (one-and-a-half).
"Preliminary investigations reveal that one of the huts at the homestead was undergoing repairs and some thatching grass was removed.
"It was put in the hut where the four were sleeping. The two adults were mentally challenged.
"They did not put out a cooking fire in the hut when they went to bed. We believe the grass caught fire and the hut was soon ablaze.
"A 66-year-old neighbour noticed the fire at around 6am and by then it was too late," he said.
Police took the charred bodies to Plumtree Government Mortu-ary. The incident comes a few months after an 84-year-old woman and a two-year-old boy were burnt to death when their bedroom hut caught fire in the same area.
Published by Herald , 5 November 2010
www.herald.co.zw
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