Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
A COUPLE and their three children were killed on Wednesday night in their home on Eyestone, part of the Retreat area in southern Harare, when gas from a large gas tank believed to be faulty exploded in their two-roomed house with the gas tank itself going through the roof and landing 50m away.
The explosion and the resulting fire near the door that trapped the family in the house occurred at around 8.30PM killing father Kudzai Gozhora (32), his wife Shupikai Makwara (30) and their three daughters, Valentine (11), Monalisa (seven) and Trumpfree (13 months)
Neighbours said Mr Gozhora sold gas to people in and around the area, some of which has yet to receive Zesa power with gas in any case used as the favoured cooking fuel.
The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained with witnesses only able to say what had happened although one reported that Mr Gozhora had told his wife that the tank had developed a fault and some neighbours thought the large tank had only recently been filled.
The family was seated in one of the rooms when the 48kg gas tank which was near the door exploded and trapped them inside.
They fled to the bedroom since they could not get out of the house because of the fire and the tank then exploded through the roof and landed about 50 metres away from the scene.
They were still trapped since the house was now burning.
Some neighbours tried to extinguish the fire but failed.
The neighbours said the fire only lasted for about 30 minutes but by then the family had already died.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations were still in progress.
The gas explosion was at 5484 Eyestone Farm.
Yesterday, several people could be seen milling around the gutted ruins of the two-roomed cottage with everything flamable destroyed.
A team of detectives from the CID Forensic Unit and Crime Scene were going through the debris gathering evidence.
The bodies were taken to a hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
Neighbour Mr Wilson Toungana said when the blast occurred everyone in the area was indoors since it was windy while the Gozhora family continued selling gas to people in the area.
“My wife was the last person to fill in the gas at their house.
The man (Gozhora) had told my wife last night while filling our gas tank that his 48kg gas tank had developed a fault.
“However, when my wife left their place that is when she heard a gas explosion and saw fire coming out of their house before calling for help,” he said.
Mr Toungana said when they arrived at the scene, they saw the couple trying to push one of the children to safety outside through a small window to their bedroom but they failed.
“When I arrived at their house I could hear children crying for help and it was sad since we failed to assist them,” he said.
Another neighbour, Mr Torevei Bvunzawabaya said he was inside his own house when he suddenly heard a loud explosion and came out to check .
“I came around 8PM at my house and made a phone call to one of my relatives and during the process I heard a loud noise.
My wife then peeped through the window and informed me that there was fire outside at Mai Vale’s (Shupikai Makwara) house.
“When we came to assist there was a ball of fire and we all ran away failing to assist.
Some are saying they had just filled their big gas tank and we suspect that they did not close it properly which resulted in the fire,” he said.
Mr Fideline Chakauya, who also lives nearby said most people in the area tried to extinguish the fire but failed.
“People tried to help but to no avail. T
hey were some strong winds which had started around 7PM.
“They died at the same place in their bedroom and the father died holding an iron bar and we suspect that he wanted to destroy the roof to save his family,” he said.
Ms Locardia Mutomba said they also tried to destroy the house from outside but were driven back by the flames.
In October last year, eight people, including six foreigners died after gas exploded at SAS mine in Mazowe.
In August 2020, a 16-year-old girl died on the spot while three others were seriously injured after gas from a two-plate gas stove she was using to cook, exploded in Southlea Park, Harare.
The three who were injured include two children aged eight and three and a 37-year-old woman identified as Monica Masawi.
Online Reporter