Child’s play with matches destroys Chief Wenondo’s home, property

CHIEF Wenondo’s family in Bubi, Matabeleland North, was left homeless after a fire allegedly started by his four-year-old grandson playing with matches destroyed a thatched bedroom and household property worth thousands of dollars at Tame Village.
No one was injured in the Monday afternoon blaze, but the family lost food supplies, furniture, clothing, school materials and important personal documents.
According to the family, the fire broke out shortly after 4PM while several children were playing a children’s game known as amatope/mahumbwe behind the thatched bedroom.

Their grandmother was asleep in a separate hut while other adults were away.
The family said a four-year-old boy allegedly struck a match and threw it onto the thatched roof, igniting the structure.
The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the bedroom resulting in the roof collapsing.
There were no injuries or fatalities.
Chief Wenondo said the destroyed bedroom was shared by six children. He said the older children were at school when the incident occurred.
“We lost important personal documents, including a national identity card, birth certificate and passport belonging to the boy’s mother,” he said.
Chief Wenondo said the speed at which the fire spread made it impossible to salvage any valuables.
“We lost two double beds, two mobile phones, clothes, school uniforms, textbooks, 10x50kg maize bags, a 50kg bag of millet, 25 metres of barbed wire, inverters, amplifiers and several other household valuables,” he said.
Chief Wenondo appealed for assistance to help the family recover from the disaster.
“We lost many important things in the fire, including identification documents, food supplies, children’s school uniforms and textbooks. We are appealing for assistance so that we can replace some of the items that were destroyed,” he said.
Chief Wenondo urged parents and guardians to closely supervise young children and keep matches and other flammable materials out of their reach.
“This incident reminds us that children need guidance and close supervision, especially when they are playing. It is also important for families living in thatched houses to take extra precautions because once a fire starts, it can destroy homes and even claim lives,” he said.
Bubi District Development Co-ordinator Mr Mgcini Vellah said authorities were prioritising assisting the affected family.
“We have seen the extent of the damage caused by this fire and our immediate concern is to ensure that the affected family receives assistance. The mother lost her national identification documents and we will assist her to have them replaced through the Civil Registry at no cost,” he said.