Zimpapers Logo

A burning hut

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
AN 87-year-old bedridden granny was burnt to death after her bedroom hut caught fire while she was asleep.

Chief Madlambuzi said the incident occurred on Saturday at around 10PM in Hingwe Ward which falls under his area of jurisdiction.

He said Anna Ncube who had been bedridden for the past two years was alone at her homestead when the fire, from a candle, started.

“There is an old woman from my area who died in an inferno. The fire is believed to have been caused by a candle that she left on when she was retiring to bed. When villagers realised that the old woman’s bedroom hut was on fire they tried to put it out but it was already too late. She was burnt beyond recognition and her limbs were reduced to ashes,” said Chief Madlambuzi.

The village head of the area, Mr Tapelo Ncube said the old woman was now living under the care of a domestic worker, Ms Solile Ndlovu.

Mr Ncube said on Saturday around 8PM, Ms Ndlovu left the old woman in her bedroom hut sleeping and went to a neighbour’s homestead where she remained for about two hours.

“At the time of her death Ncube was living under the care of a domestic worker. On the day in question Ms Ndlovu prepared food for the old woman and took it to her in her bedroom hut. She later left Ncube asleep in her bedroom hut with a lit candle mounted on a plastic chair and went to a neighbour’s homestead about 100 metres away.

“Two hours later Ms Ndlovu proceeded home and she realised that there was smoke coming from the old woman’s hut. She alerted her neighbours and rushed home but when she got there the hut was already engulfed in flames,” he said.

Mr Ncube said neighbours tried to put out the fire in order to save the old woman but their efforts were fruitless.

He said villagers watched helplessly as the roof to Ncube’s hut collapsed. He said all the property that was in the hut was reduced to ashes.

“It is really painful that Ncube died in such a manner. She probably saw the fire start but she couldn’t do anything to save herself as she was bedridden,” he said.

@DubeMatutu