| The house that was engulfed in flames. |
A 5-year-old disabled girl was found dead in her burnt house in Ampefiloha Ambaniala yesterday. His parents were away at the time of the disaster.
A deep bitterness invaded a young couple in Ampefiloha, fokontany of Ambaniala, commune of Andranonahoatra, yesterday. They lost their 5-year-old daughter, charred in her bed during a house fire.
The child had reduced mobility due to a foot disability. According to testimonies collected, she had been left alone at home.
At 4:30 a.m., the emergency number of the Ambohimamory gendarmerie rang. A reliable person raised the alarm about a fire that was destroying the home.
When the police arrived, the fire had already been put out by the neighbors themselves. They inspected the interior of the small brick house and discovered the charred body of the girl, on her back in her bed.
His grandfather, who lives nearby, was the first witness to the fire. According to him, he left his house and tried to control the flames which were spreading quickly. Local residents helped him fight the fire, but unfortunately, it was too late to save the child.
No clue
Informed of the situation, the child's father, aged 24, and his mother, 23, immediately returned. In fact, they had left at 3 a.m. to transport sand. They are convinced that the fire was of criminal origin. According to them, the door and window were all closed, and they suppose that the fire was introduced through the north window, near which the bed was located.
However, the police did not find any suspicious signs around the house. They explained to the bereaved family the steps to follow and invited them to file a complaint if they truly believed it was a murder disguised as arson. This would allow the investigation to continue to reveal the truth about this shocking event.
In addition to the human loss, the bed, a solar panel, blankets, various utensils and the ceiling were consumed. The body of the deceased was handed over to the fokontany for the funeral.
Gustave Mparany
