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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Three minors from Mberengwa’s Mawani area under Chief Maziofa were on Wednesday night burnt beyond recognition when a grass thatched bedroom they were sleeping in caught fire

The minors – two girls and a boy aged between two and four – were left alone while sleeping by their uncle, who left a lit candle and went next door, only to find the hut reduced to ashes upon his return.

Acting police spokesperson for Midlands Province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said she was still to get the details from police on the ground. The deceased minors, whose charred remains need to go for forensic tests were identified as Mitshel Hamandishe (4), Yvonne Nyoni (3) and the boy, Unit Masundire (2).

According to a family spokesperson, Mr Garari Masundire, brother to the deceased boy’s father, the three minors were left sleeping in their uncle’s bedroom with a lit candle on top of a wooden table.

“The minors were all related and always wanted to be with their uncle. On the fateful night, they decided to sleep with their uncle as they usually do, but he later left home to walk out a relative who had visited him.

“Unfortunately he left a lit candle on top of a table and it had some books under it. We suspect the candle later started the fire, which gutted the hut,” said Mr Masundire. He said when the uncle returned, he found the bedroom hut burnt.

“The only other person who was at the homestead was my father, who is now very old and he could not get out of his bedroom to call for help. We reported the matter to the police and they said the charred bodies of the three minors needed to go for forensic tests,” he said. Mr Masundire said the incident has left the whole family shell-shocked.

“It’s shocking and unthinkable, but we need to be strong. We are now waiting for the police to complete their investigations as well as the forensic report for us to make burial arrangements,” he said.