BUSINESSMAN, 10-MONTH-OLD BABY BURN TO DEATH

MANZINI – Tragic!

A family is distraught after watching a 10-month-old baby and his father burn to death on Saturday night. The spine-chilling incident happened at Mantshonga, Ngculwini. Mantshonga is a rural community located about 35km south east of Manzini. According to a sister to the deceased businessman, Nomsa Mamba, the father of the 10-month-old baby died after running into the house which was ablaze in an effort to save his son. The fire, according to Mamba, started after the children of the deceased had lit a candle following a power cut on Saturday evening, between 7pm and 8pm. After lighting the candle, Mamba supposed that the children, with the eldest inside the house being a nine-year-old girl, fell asleep. The eldest girl within the house was with her siblings aged eight, four and 10 months.

Asleep

Mamba said while they fell asleep, the candle must have fallen on top of flammable items. This resulted in the house catching fire, Mamba said, while adding that at this instance, the three older children ran outside while the 10-month-old was still asleep on a sofa. The aunt supposed that as they ran outside, they did not find anyone in the other houses within the compound. This resulted in the children running to their parent’s grocery shop, which is located about 500 metres from the homestead. There, she said, the children relayed the ordeal to their mother who in turn contacted the deceased 36-year-old businessman, who drove to their compound. Upon arrival, it is said the deceased (Vusi Mamba), took a parched blanket to cover himself and ran into the inferno that had engulfed their rondavel, in a last-ditch effort to save his 10-month-old son.

However, while inside, it was said the blanket caught fire and so did his clothes. This was said to have resulted in the deceased failing to exit the house with the minor.  Instead, it was said he could only pick the child and throw him towards the exit door for those outside the house to save him. However, the child was said to have fallen into the inferno and the pair were scorched by the flames. Mamba said the deceased was survived by his spouse and five children; four boys aged 16, 12, 8 and 4 and a girl aged 9. She pleaded for any form of assistance to the family, as everything was burnt to ashes. Any form of assistance, Mamba said, could be directed to 7692 2361. Meanwhile, upon arrival at the homestead, the rubble that formed the furniture and other items within the house was still smoldering. The roofing of the house had collapsed inwards. Within the homestead, there were a number of relatives and community members in a sombre mood, who had come to offer moral support to the family.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: