A veld fire in Rusape has claimed the life of Charles Saha, a 54-year-old farmer from Karani Village in Manicaland. He had gone out to get his field ready for planting, but the flames spread fast and turned the task into a fatal incident.
Before heading out, Saha let his wife, Pindukai Timire, also 54, know what he had planned. His goal was to remove old plant waste and use fire to clear the plot ahead of the next crop season.
But things went wrong once he lit the dry material. The blaze grew beyond what he could manage, and he was unable to escape.
Timire saw the flames getting worse and went straight to the field. By the time she got there, her husband had died.
Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, who serves as the acting police spokesperson for Manicaland, shared the details of the case. After finding Saha, Timire alerted officers at Rusape Rural Police Station.
A team of officers later went to the site and had his remains moved to the mortuary at Rusape General Hospital. An autopsy will form part of the inquiry into his death.
The case has also led to a fresh safety alert from police. Hot weather, strong winds, and dry plants can make outdoor fires hard to control in a short span.
For farmers who use fire to clear fields, the risk is real. Police want people to take care when burning plant waste, since a routine farm job can turn deadly if the flames get out of hand.
Before heading out, Saha let his wife, Pindukai Timire, also 54, know what he had planned. His goal was to remove old plant waste and use fire to clear the plot ahead of the next crop season.
But things went wrong once he lit the dry material. The blaze grew beyond what he could manage, and he was unable to escape.
Timire saw the flames getting worse and went straight to the field. By the time she got there, her husband had died.
Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, who serves as the acting police spokesperson for Manicaland, shared the details of the case. After finding Saha, Timire alerted officers at Rusape Rural Police Station.
A team of officers later went to the site and had his remains moved to the mortuary at Rusape General Hospital. An autopsy will form part of the inquiry into his death.
The case has also led to a fresh safety alert from police. Hot weather, strong winds, and dry plants can make outdoor fires hard to control in a short span.
For farmers who use fire to clear fields, the risk is real. Police want people to take care when burning plant waste, since a routine farm job can turn deadly if the flames get out of hand.
