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By Elvis Dumba
Two minors aged five and six lost their lives in an old farmhouse in Kombwe Village in Hurungwe East that was razed down by a veld fire.
Three teachers who were sharing the house lost all their belongings in the inferno.
Zanorashe Musiiwa, Levison Chenjerai, and Joseph Mazarura lost all property including educational certificates.
Munyaradzi Nhariswa, Environmental Management Agency’s Mashonaland West Province Spokesperson confirmed the incident and called on people to desist from starting open fires.
“We are in receipt of the unfortunate incident where we have lost precious lives of the two minors as a result of a veld fire. I would like to reiterate our urge to people to desist from starting open fires for any reason including land preparations as most people lose control of the fire that usually results in loss of property and like in this instance, human lives,” he said
Investigations about the source of the fire are ongoing.
Mr. Nhariswa said since the start of the 2021 fire season at least 100 000 hectares of land has been destroyed by veld fires.
Most small-scale farmers use fire for agricultural land preparations and young people also starts veld fires to hunt mice and rabbits. The fire incidents are usually high between the period of July and November.