An 80-year-old woman of Masaiti burnt to death by bush fire

An 80-year-old woman of Masaiti on the Copperbelt Province has been burnt to death by bush fire.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Sharon Zulu has told reporters that Ms. Tera Mario of Chiluka Village sustained multiple burns all over her body in the incident that occurred late on Thursday afternoon.

Brief facts are that last Thursday in the morning the deceased, who lived alone in a thatched house, went on a drinking spree at a nearby tavern and decided to go home later in the afternoon around 15:00 hours.

Ms. Zulu said on her way home she noticed the bush fire spreading towards her home and she is believed to have decided to use a short cut in the process she was caught by the fire and got burned.

She said the source of the fire is not known and no foul play was suspected as relatives requested to bury without conducting postmortem.

Ms. Zulu said Ms. Mario was only discovered around 18.00 hour lying along a path to her home while screaming in pain.

The old woman sadly died whilst locals people were making arrangements to take her to the Hospital.

“Sudden and unnatural death , reported at Kafulafuta police station, Occured on 28/07/22 between 15:00 hours and 19:00 hours at Chiluka Village, Chief Nkambo, Masaiti. In which male Stadwick Mutongo aged 48 , reported that his aunt Tera Mario aged 80 of Chiluka Village died after she was burnt by bush fires and sustained multiple burns all over her body,” Ms. Zulu stated.
“Brief facts are that on 28/07/22 in the morning the deceased female Tera Mario who lived alone in a thatched house went on a drinking spree at a nearby tavern and later in the afternoon around 15:00 hours she left the place in a drunken state and on her way home suspectedly after noticing the bush fire spreading towards her home she decided to use a short cut in the process she was caught by the fire and got burned thereby sustaining multiple burns,” she said.

“She was only discovered around 18.00hrs by a male Frazer Moyo lying along a path to her home while screaming in pain. The old woman sadly died whilst locals people were making arrangements to take her to the Hospital. Police visited the crime scene and found the deceased with multiple burns all over her body and a large area within the village was burnt by bush fires . The source of the fire is not known .No foul play was Suspected hence relatives requested to bury without conducting postmortem. Inquiry file opened,” Ms. Zulu concluded.