An old woman was burnt beyond recognition after her house caught fire in Mbare over the weekend while another person was injured during the inferno.
Nathan Leander Guma
According to an eyewitness, the late Oripah Makumbi (73) who was alone at the time of the inferno, is believed succumbed to a fire caused by a candle.
“She was in a candlelit room as there was no electric bulb. After having our dinner, Oripah went to sleep and we remained seated outside
“It was only after entering the room that we realized there was smoke in the house and she let out a cry. We tried to push open the door without any luck,” said Tracy Mutsvangwa, the deceased’s daughter-in-law.
Mutsvangwa said they had to force their entry into the house which was covered in flames at the time.
She added that the deceased also had medical problems which might have contributed to her failure to escape.
“Makumbi had problems with her legs for a long time. Moreover, she also had a headache when she went to sleep,” said Makumbi.
Harare City Fire Department only arrived after the house had been razed down.
An unidentified man was also caught in flames whilst trying to push the door open. He was taken to hospital when paramedics arrived.
