By Staff Reporter
A 97-year-old woman from Nyamapere Village under Chief Katerere in Nyanga has perished in a devastating veld fire after being trapped while collecting grass in preparation for the rainy season.
Acting Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the fatality, identifying the victim as Letty Matore.
According to police reports, Ms. Matore left her homestead on October 20 at approximately 12:00 PM to cut grass, carrying a metal tin containing charcoal. Concern mounted when she failed to return home by 6:00 PM, prompting her son, Charles Towa, to head out to the fields to search for her.
Unable to locate her in the initial hours, Mr. Towa was joined by other villagers in an extensive search that stretched into the night.
The search concluded tragically the following day on October 21 when her 57-year-old daughter-in-law, Laina Matore, discovered her lifeless body in the field.
Ruwangwe Police attended the scene following a formal report. Authorities confirmed that the victim’s body sustained severe burns on the legs, hands, face, and buttocks, with the metal tin she had been carrying recovered nearby.
In the wake of the tragedy, law enforcement has issued a strict public appeal, urging citizens to avoid starting fires during the hot season to prevent further loss of life.
