The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
PROPERTY worth thousands of dollars was destroyed on Monday when fire gutted a wooden cabin in Bodyslam of Mahalabe, an illegal settlement in Mutare.
The neighbours’ efforts to save the property were in vain as the fire engulfed everything.
The family of four lost household goods, clothes, blankets, food, identity documents as well as an unspecified amount of cash.
The owner of the house, Mr Joseph Togara, is appealing to well-wishers to assist in any possible way as his family has nowhere to stay.
“We do not have anything, save for the clothes that we had on when the fire broke out. We need food and a place to stay. Our children – a three-year-old and a month-old baby are sleeping with us in the cold rain. Our neighbours helped us with three nappies for the baby and we now need clothes and food for the children,” he said.
Mr Togara’s wife, Ms Prisca Mhandu, said she was not at home when the fire started and was only informed by neighbours that their house was on fire.
She said they do not know the cause of the fire as there is no electricity at the settlement.
“Someone shouted that they had seen a snake and I rushed there. I left my one-month-old child in the cabin, but my instincts told me to rush back to pick the child. I left the cabin again to catch a glimpse of the snake. However, I did not get to see the snake as someone shouted that my cabin was on fire. I rushed back home and by the time l got there the fire had covered the whole cabin within minutes.
“While I lost everything, I am glad l carried my baby. She could have died in that inferno,” she said.
