5-YEAR-OLD KILLED BY FOREST FIRE IN MANKAYANE

MANZINI – Fast spreading flames, which quickly engulfed a forest in Mankayane, killed a five-year-old girl who had left home to collect firewood with her mother.

Information gathered is that the mother of the child, Mgcashiyo Hlophe (44), left her homestead situated at Etjebovu, near Mankayane to gather firewood with her daughter, Siphiwe Masimula, when suddenly strong flames from a wild fire engulfed them.
Apparently, the minor had drifted towards the fire while the mother was busy collecting the firewood.  She only noticed quite late that her child was no longer around, only to find that the minor had drifted towards the direction of the fire.

“She had not noticed that her child had been trapped in the raging flames and when she tried to rescue her, she was also engulfed in the flames and decided to flee. It is a sad story because she watched her child burn but could not be of assistance as she feared for her life too.
She only managed to call the police later. However, it was too late as upon arrival at the place, the child was already burnt beyond recognition,” a relative who preferred not to be named said.
When interviewed, an emotional Hlophe said she was still traumatised by the incident.

She stated that upon realising that the flames were spreading with great force, she tried grabbing her burning daughter from the flames, however, she also got burnt in the process.
Hlophe, who has three other children, said she had no choice but to escape and head to the main road, leaving her child crying hysterically in the flames.

“I ran to the main road, where I raised the alarm, calling upon neighbours to help me. Unfortunately, I had left my cellphone at home but the people who had gathered there managed to assist and gave me a phone to call the police.
When they eventually put out the fire where my child was, she was already unrecognisable. I have lost my last-born child in this tragedy and I am saddened. Her father passed away three years ago and I have no one to turn to,” Hlophe added.

Doctors

Siphiwe’s body was taken to the Mankayane Government Mortuary by officers where medical doctors certified her dead. Meanwhile, Hlophe was also treated at the same hospital as she had sustained injuries to her neck and both hands.
Hlophe added that she did not have financial means to cater for her child’s funeral arrangements as she was unemployed.

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