MARTIN MAWAYA
SHURUGWI-A Shurugwi woman and her 14-year-old daughter died after the hut they were sleeping in caught fire in the early hours of Tuesday, with police launching an investigation into the cause of the blaze.
Midlands province police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko identified the victims as Onismo Ncube, 33, and her daughter, Thabolihle Dube, 14.
The fire broke out at Village 5 in the Dombojena area of Shurugwi at about 12:20am on August 4.
Mahoko said a nearby resident, Admire Mabveku, of Umcima 49 Mine, was awakened by cries for help from the homestead and rushed to the scene.
“He discovered that two huts were on fire and called other nearby residents to help extinguish the blaze,” Mahoko said.
The residents were unable to contain the fire as both huts were already engulfed in flames and their roofs had collapsed.
Police attended the scene and found the huts reduced to ashes.
The bodies of Ncube and her daughter were recovered from the debris.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established and investigations are continuing.
Mahoko appealed to members of the public with information that could assist the investigation to report to the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Shurugwi.
