GIRL (4) KILLED IN MASVINGO HOUSE FIRE

A sombre atmosphere engulfed a Rhodene family following the horrific death of their four year old girl in a gas and petrol inferno in one of the rooms.

Paidamoyo Mangozho died in a very painful way when what started as normal playing house with other children turned tragic as a cooking gas tank exploded when a 14 year old boy poured petrol in a brush cutter.

Paidamoyo’s father, Livingstone Mangozho, who was visibly shaken by incident confirmed the sad news to The Midweek Watch reporters who visited the scene soon after the City of Masvingo fire brigade had doused the inferno.

“I was coming from town with a friend I wanted to take over a maize field that I had abandoned. I arrived home and Paida ran to me for the usual father, daughter greetings, she then went and joined her friends who were playing in the other room of another tenant. I proceeded to drink some water, while I was contemplating whether to cook or not I head some noise and when I checked, the older kids were shouting ‘Paida, Paida’, while the room was engulfed with smoke and fire.

“I tried to pour some water to douse raging fires, but it became worse, I tried to get in but it was smoke all over while Paida was yelling, ‘dad, dad’ until she died before the fire brigade arrived. The fire brigade arrived 15 minutes after the fire started, but Paida had already died, she died a painful death as we could not save her despite calling out for help,” narrated Mangozho with black smoke all over his body.

He said police took her body after the fire was put out.

Masvingo Province police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident but said he does not have the circumstances since the details are still compiling the report.

Mangozho said he had just paid school fees for the four year old at Dikwindi Primary for her to start ECD in 2026 where her brother is also a learner.

The fire reduced the room to ashes, burning all foodstuffs, blankets, clothes and all the household goods that were inside.

A 14 year old boy is said to have been sent by his uncle to refill a brush cutter with petrol which was inside the room where Paidamoyo and friends were playing house.

While filling the brush cutter with petrol the cooking gas tank exploded, the other kids managed to escape, Paidamoyo could not.

When The Midweek Watch left the house mourners had started trickling in to comfort the family. Midweek Watch