61 families helpless following fire accident in Zomba

At least 61 families at Chisi Island in Malawi’s old capital city of Zomba are still homeless after fire destroyed their houses.

Approximately 298 people including children and the elderly at Ngotangota village in the area of Traditional Authority Nkumbira in the district have been rendered homeless due to the fire that razed down their houses on Sunday.

Zomba Police Station through its Officer In-Charge Hastings Mathankie said the victims have lost property such as bags of maize, livestock, clothes and bicycles.

No one was killed due to the fire but one person suffered burns as he was trying to save his belongings.

According to reports children, who were playing with fire in the village started the inferno.

At the time of the accident most of the people in the area had gone for prayers at their churches.
Mathankie told the local media that the destroyed houses were built using tree poles, bamboos and grass commonly known as Zimbowera and on the day of the accident it was windy hence the fire easily spread from one house to another.

Meanwhile, welfare department in the district is working tirelessly to provide for the affected households and has appealed to well-wishers to assist the victims.

Ngotangota is a remote area that is reached using a boat which costs K4, 000 per person, covering a distance of 65 kilometers from Kachulu.