Online Reporter
Solomon Bhumu and Tendai Vambe
TRAGEDY struck a Penhalonga family on Tuesday afternoon when a two-year-old toddler perished in a house fire at Nyamupachoto homestead, Murahwa Village, Premier South.
The heart-breaking incident occurred while the child’s mother, Ms Rosemary Madzivanyika, had gone to fetch water from a nearby tap.
By the time she returned, her home was engulfed in flames, leaving the young couple devastated and homeless after the blaze consumed their house and all their belongings.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the tragedy, saying police are investigating a case of sudden death.
Ms Madzivanyika recounted that she had left her toddler asleep in one of the bedrooms before walking to her mother-in-law’s homestead, about 100 metres away. On her way back, she noticed thick smoke billowing from her house.
The child is believed to have been trapped inside.
“I was coming back from my mother-in-law’s place when I saw a lot of smoke coming from our house. I immediately knew something was wrong,” she told The Manica Post.
Preliminary police investigations suggest the fire may have been sparked by solar batteries in the dining room.
By the time Ms Madzivanyika reached her homestead, the flames had already spread rapidly. In panic, she rushed back to seek help from relatives and neighbours.
“After I realised that our house was burning, I went back to my mother-in-law’s house to ask for help. That is when I met my brother-in-law and another man who was passing by, and I told them what was happening,” she said.
As neighbours and relatives hurried to the scene, the trapped child’s cries could be heard from inside the inferno.
“We could hear my child screaming ‘mama, mama’ helplessly. Even before they managed to enter the house, we could hear his voice, but I guess it was already too late,” Ms Madzivanyika said, fighting back tears.
One of the first to respond was Mr Honest Nyamupachoto, a relative who said he was returning from Mutare when he encountered Ms Madzivanyika frantically crying for help.
“When we arrived, the fire had almost engulfed the entire house. We tried to force our way inside, but the smoke was too heavy,” recalled Mr Nyamupachoto.
After breaking a window to gain entry, several desperate attempts were made to locate the child. However, the thick smoke and searing heat rendered visibility nearly impossible.
Eventually, Mr Nyamupachoto managed to reach the bedroom where the toddler had been sleeping, only to find the child lying motionless on the bed, with severe burn injuries to the head.
“I managed to remove the body through the window and handed it over to the mother,” he said solemnly.
While preliminary investigations suggest the blaze may have been triggered by solar batteries in the dining room, the grieving family has raised doubts and is not ruling out foul play.
Ms Madzivanyika expressed disbelief, insisting the batteries had been disconnected earlier that day.
“My husband had disconnected the solar cables so the batteries would not continue charging. That is why I find it hard to understand how they could have burst into flames,” she said.
Her concerns were echoed by other relatives.
Ms Annah Nyamupachoto, the child’s aunt, alleged that the fire may have been deliberately started.
“This has to do with someone, I swear. There were disputes before, and some people were not happy with my brother’s progress. Last time, property was stolen from the house soon after he had left home. Now the house has been burnt,” she said, further suggesting that jealousy linked to the father’s involvement in gold dealing and past boundary disputes may have fuelled hostility.
“We do not know if someone was hiding in the bushes waiting for everyone to leave the house before setting it on fire,” she added.
The inferno reduced all household property to ashes, leaving the young couple destitute as they mourn the devastating loss of their child while facing the daunting reality of rebuilding their lives from nothing.
On behalf of the family, Mr Nyamupachoto appealed for assistance from well-wishers.
“We are asking for any form of help — blankets, clothes, food, or anything that can assist the family during this painful time,” he said.
