Police have confirmed the deaths of three people, including a child who succumbed to severe burns following a tragic arson incident at Makaleng village early on Wednesday morning.
The tragic incident which claimed the lives of two women aged 31, 28, and a 4-year-old boy followed a heated dispute between a 40-year-old man from Tutume village and his 31-year-old girlfriend.
The argument escalated to a dreadful climax when the man, in a fit of rage, doused the house in petrol and ignited it.
As the fire engulfed the house, the cries of the 4-year-old child pierced the night, waking the two women from their sleep.
Relatives who responded to the screams for help managed to break open the front window, pouring buckets of water and pulled to safety the occupants who were severely burnt.
The victims were all rushed to Nyangabwe Referral Hospital and, sadly the child’s life was cut short at the airport as preparations were being made to airlift him to Bokamoso Private Hospital for specialized medical attention.
The 28-year-old old woman died in the evening while the suspect’s girlfriend died this morning at Sidilega Private Hospital.
The suspect was found hanging from a tree yesterday around 1130am about 2KM from Makaleng, along the river bank.
He had used a piece of wire to hang himself.