Mozambique: 13-year old dies after lightning reportedly sparks house fire in Beira – Watch

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Mozambique: 13-year old dies after lightning reportedly sparks house fire in Beira – Watch

9:09 CAT | 17 Jan 2023

Screen grab: TVM

The boy was inside the house along with four other people who were rescued and only contracted minor injuries.

A teenage boy died when lightning reportedly set fire to the house where he was sleeping in Inhamizua administrative post, Beira, in the early hours of Monday morning (16-01).

According to the authorities ,the victim was inside the house along with four other people who were rescued and only contracted minor injuries.

The incident took place in the city of Beira’s Inhamizua administrative post, where, early on Monday morning, heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning was falling.

Telma Rosário, one of the survivors, says that it had started raining at dawn, when a lightning bolt hit the house, setting it alight.

“Due to the rain, my brother-in-law (the boy who died) had come into my room, because the rain was getting into his,” Rosário recounted. “When I went out into the living room, the curtain was already on fire. I tried to open the door, but couldn’t. I asked for help and my other brother-in-law managed to break through the roof and get out. He started pulling us out of the house. I was pulling my brother-in-law out, but he lost consciousness and fell back, and was devoured by the flames. There was no way of saving him.”

Sofala National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) delegate Aristides Armando confirmed the outlines of the incident.

“There was this fire in the house and one of the minors ended up dying,” he explained. “The other victims suffered minor injuries; some are still receiving medical assistance.”

“This situation is common in the rainy season, which is characterised by thunder and lightning,” he added.

The INGD says it has allocated tents and supplies to the victims and promises to maintain support for a month, while the families get back on their feet.

The accident brings the number of such incidents registered in Sofala province during this rainy season to seven, with the emphasis on the district of Gorongosa, which has already registered three.

Watch.