News / National
Mysterious fire burns coffin, mourners
20 Jun 2014 at 06:30hrs | Views
THREE people, including an elderly blind woman, were severely burnt in Nago village, Zvishavane, when a coffin caught fire setting a house full of mourners ablaze last Friday.
The mourners, who were gathered at Donald Ganyana's homestead under Chief Masunda, are still shocked as to what could have caused the strange occurrence.
Villagers said the three were burnt during a stampede as mourners fled the blaze that allegedly erupted from a coffin carrying the remains of a villager, Philani Ganyana.
Ganyana's wife Janet said mourners had been singing until at about 3am and then fell asleep only to be awakened by the burning coffin.
She said the house caught fire within a short time.
"We all fell asleep only to wake up with the coffin on fire. The fire started on the coffin's veil and there was a stampede as people fled," Janet said.
She said the fire could have been caused by a candle that was probably not put out when mourners went to sleep.
"I think a burning candle caused the fire and deny any spiritual attribution in this case," she said.
However, villagers said what shocked them most was that while the coffin was destroyed by the fire, but the body of the deceased remained intact.
"I think the boy [deceased] was angry. How can a coffin be destroyed by fire and yet the body is not burnt?" a villager, Tapuwa Kosvoro, who witnessed the incident said.
Chipile Chisweto, one of the mourners who sustained facial burns, said she was traumatised by the mysterious fire.
"What shocked me is that no one could smell the smoke of the fire until the whole coffin and its veil were ablaze and the roof had caught fire," Chisweto said.
Chisweto's blind sister Lucia Zireva was severely injured in the melee and is currently admitted at Zvishavane District Hospital where the other two were treated and discharged. Chief Masunda said he was still investigating the matter with the help of the police.
"Investigations are still being conducted, but the case remains a mystery because we have never seen such a thing [like this] before," Chief Masunda said.
The mourners, who were gathered at Donald Ganyana's homestead under Chief Masunda, are still shocked as to what could have caused the strange occurrence.
Villagers said the three were burnt during a stampede as mourners fled the blaze that allegedly erupted from a coffin carrying the remains of a villager, Philani Ganyana.
Ganyana's wife Janet said mourners had been singing until at about 3am and then fell asleep only to be awakened by the burning coffin.
She said the house caught fire within a short time.
"We all fell asleep only to wake up with the coffin on fire. The fire started on the coffin's veil and there was a stampede as people fled," Janet said.
She said the fire could have been caused by a candle that was probably not put out when mourners went to sleep.
However, villagers said what shocked them most was that while the coffin was destroyed by the fire, but the body of the deceased remained intact.
"I think the boy [deceased] was angry. How can a coffin be destroyed by fire and yet the body is not burnt?" a villager, Tapuwa Kosvoro, who witnessed the incident said.
Chipile Chisweto, one of the mourners who sustained facial burns, said she was traumatised by the mysterious fire.
"What shocked me is that no one could smell the smoke of the fire until the whole coffin and its veil were ablaze and the roof had caught fire," Chisweto said.
Chisweto's blind sister Lucia Zireva was severely injured in the melee and is currently admitted at Zvishavane District Hospital where the other two were treated and discharged. Chief Masunda said he was still investigating the matter with the help of the police.
"Investigations are still being conducted, but the case remains a mystery because we have never seen such a thing [like this] before," Chief Masunda said.
Source - newsday
