Cop's wife sets self, son, husband on fire

A policeman and his son were severely burnt when his wife, who also sustained serious burns, allegedly doused herself with paraffin and set herself on fire in a suspected suicide attempt following a domestic dispute.

The gruesome incident occurred at Ross Camp Police staff quarters in Bulawayo at about 10AM yesterday.

Bulawayo chief fire officer Richard Peterson confirmed the incident saying the fire station received a phone call about a fire that had broken out at Ross Camp Double Storey residential building at 10:28AM.

"It appears that there was a domestic misunderstanding between the father and mother.  The wife sprinkled paraffin and lit the whole house. The wife was severely burnt. It is suspected to be arson," he said.

Shocked fellow police officers narrated how the woman, whose name could not be ascertained, was heard screaming as the flames leapt from her body onto curtains and household property.

It is alleged that at around 10:20am; Constable Lee Nyathi had a misunderstanding with his wife according to neighbours who heard them quarrelling.

Witnesses told Chronicle they later saw flames and smoke coming out of their house through the windows.

"We saw fire coming through the windows and the couple with their young son was screaming. A few seconds later, the window shattered into pieces and Cst Nyathi burst through. He was on fire. Some neighbours rushed to him with buckets and poured water on him," said a witness.

Police officers, who declined to be named for professional reasons, said Cst Nyathi's wife threw out her son who was also engulfed in flames.

They said Cst Nyathi, who had recovered somewhat, intercepted the child as he came flying out of the house and neighbours poured water on both of them.

"It was like a scene from a horror movie. It was even scarier when the wife emerged through the same window. She was hideously burnt with pieces of flesh peeling off her arms and feet. She was emitting blood curdling screams," said another witness.

Cst Nyathi reportedly joined other residents in pouring water on his wife who was rolling on the ground.

"Someone called an ambulance and the fire brigade, but by the time they arrived residents had put the fire out. It looked like Cst Nyathi had severe burns mostly on his hands," said the witness.

"We later heard that Cst Nyathi's wife poured paraffin on herself and set the house on fire, in a bid to commit suicide after the couple quarrelled. We don't know what they were fighting about."

Sources later told Chronicle that the family was rushed to Ross Camp Clinic. The wife was later transferred to Mpilo Central hospital.

Household goods including blankets, television, clothes, stoves, police uniforms, a kitchen dresser and plates were destroyed in the inferno.

This incident comes barely a month after a pregnant teenager from Cowdray Park in Bulawayo died after setting herself on fire at her married boyfriend's house.