Tragedy as family of three perishes in house inferno

“An entire family has been wiped out. Rochi died alongside his wife and child. He did not leave anyone behind and perished while trying to save his family,” recalled a neighbour.

The acting commander of the Mara Regional Fire and Rescue Force, Mr Agostino Magere, confirmed the incident, stating that the cause of the fire had yet to be determined and that investigations were ongoing.

He mentioned that the fire brigade received the report at 4 a.m. on January 5, 2026, but found the house already destroyed and the occupants deceased upon arrival. “It appears the report was delayed. When we arrived, the victims had already died.

The father’s body was found in the sitting room, while the mother’s and child’s bodies were discovered in the bedroom. Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with other agencies,” he said.

Another neighbour, Ms Elizabeth Sebastian, whose family also survived the fire, described the victims as a close-knit family.

“I moved here three years ago and found them already living here. I stayed at the back while they lived at the front. They were very good neighbours. We greeted each other every morning and evening and had no disputes; it was all peaceful,” she said.

Ms Sebastian stated that the fire appeared to have ignited while the family was asleep and had spread widely by the time they realised what was happening.

She explained that after recognising the danger, Mr Mkolekuwa attempted to rescue his family but was overcome by the flames while trying to open the door from the sitting room.

“The wife and child were not burned. It seems they died from suffocation. The mother was found holding her child, while the man’s body was located in the sitting room, severely burned,” she added.

As the fire intensified, thick smoke spread to her section of the house, prompting her family to seek help from neighbors, who broke down the door and rescued them.

She mentioned that the house had previously experienced electrical problems, which she had addressed by calling technicians to fix issues on her side. “This is one house, but with two electricity meters. It’s possible for one side to have power while the other has none,” she explained.

Another neighbour, Ms Leah Obunde, suggested that the incident might be related to an electrical fault that had occurred earlier.

“Rochi had complained about reporting an electrical short circuit to Tanesco, but no action was taken by the utility company to resolve the issue,” she said.

Ms Obunde added that there was no electricity in the house the night before the incident, and residents were shocked when the fire broke out around midnight.

She believes the fire may have started when the power was restored while the family was asleep.

“We have lost a very good neighbour. This was a peaceful family with no conflicts. It is extremely painful that they died in such a tragic manner, potentially due to negligence by the responsible authorities,” she mentioned.

Mr Ezekiel Mashola, the Mara Regional Manager of the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), said he had not yet received details about the incident as he was out of the region. He indicated that investigations are routinely conducted when such incidents occur. “It is possible that electricity was the cause, but there are many factors.

Sometimes a homeowner may leave an iron plugged in or fail to install essential safety devices such as circuit breakers, which could make them responsible for the incident,” he stated.

Mr Mashola assured that once investigations are complete, Tanesco will take responsibility according to the law if it is determined that the fire originated from the utility’s systems and not from the homeowner.

Musoma District Commissioner Mr Juma Chikoka noted that security authorities have already launched investigations to determine the cause of the fire.

He described the incident as a significant loss to the water sector in the Mara Region, the nation, and society at large, urging Musoma residents to take precautions in all circumstances.

“As the district government, we have received this incident with great shock and sorrow. Investigations have begun and will guide us on the appropriate course of action,” he said.

In a message posted on his Facebook page, the minister for Water, Mr Jumaa Aweso, expressed his deep sorrow upon hearing the news of the death of the ministry’s staff member and his family.

Mr Aweso described the deceased as a patriotic, hardworking, and highly motivated young professional who diligently fulfilled his duties. “On several occasions, I publicly commended him for his good performance. This is a significant loss to our water sector. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family,” he said.