Sleeping kids burn to death - report

Fire fighters fight a fire at Rhodes Memorial. March 17 2009 Photo by Michael Walker

Fire fighters fight a fire at Rhodes Memorial. March 17 2009 Photo by Michael Walker

Published Dec 20, 2014

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Harare - Four children were burnt to death in southern Zimbabwe when a can of petrol being stored inside their home caught fire, the official Chronicle newspaper reported on Saturday.

The children were aged between two and 11.

They had been left sleeping in the care of a 20-year-old woman in their home in the Matobo District of Matabeleland South province. A gas stove was left lit in a bedroom.

A can of petrol being stored there caught fire - but the children were trapped inside. Villagers have said that they heard screams but were unable to help.

Only one of the four children was rescued but he died of his burns on the way to hospital.

The 20-year old woman is understood to be in hospital in Bulawayo suffering from severe burns.

“I was supposed to go to Botswana to buy stock for the shop and had visited my rural home early in the morning.

“I was devastated to find my children dead on my return,” the traumatised mother of three of the children, Siphiwe Dube told the Chronicle. - Sapa

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