A 70-year-old woman and her four grandchildren, including a three-month-old baby, were killed when the hut they were sleeping in caught fire at Lusulu Village outside Beit Bridge.

Local police spokesperson Asst Commissioner Sithulisiwe Mukuele confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday, 27 August, at around 22:00. “Clara Mlilo (70) and her four grandchildren, Vuyisile Ndlovu (10), Jabitsha Ndlovu (8), Ananani Ndlovu (3) and Mordecai Kudyamusuwa (three months) went to sleep at around 22:00 and a fire broke out. Our preliminary investigations indicate that the granny had put a pot of milk on the fire to warm it for the baby, whose mother was not at home,” she said.

Mukuele said a relative, Mr Khulekani Ndlovu, who lives a few metres from the victims’ homestead, heard screaming and rushed to the scene, only to find the hut had already been gutted by fire "and the roof had collapsed. The granny and her four grandchildren were all burnt to death,” she said.

A report was made to the police, who came and retrieved the charred remains of the victims and they were taken to a local mortuary.

“We continue to urge community members to exercise caution when using fire, to avoid loss of life. We are saying communities should not leave fire or candles lit when they go to sleep as they risk their lives,” said Mukuele.

She said they were continuing with investigations.