FATHER OF 15 YEAR OLD BOY WHO SAVED 5 YEAR OLD SIBLING FROM BURNING HOUSE SUCCUMBS TO BURNS
The Father of a 15-Year-old boy in Mphamba Compound, Lundazi District, Eastern Province, who saved his 5-Year-old brother from a burning house, has succumbed to his burns.
Eastern Province Police Commissioner Robertson Mweemba confirmed the development.
Mr Mweemba stated that the victim, Christopher Tembo, aged 43, was in a critical condition and died on July 21, 2025, around 02:00 hours.
The brief facts are that Christopher Tembo, aged 43, and his wife, Elizabeth Banda, aged 40, of Garden Compound, were at home on July 18, 2025, around 18:00 hours when a customer came to their house to búy 5 liters of pètròl, as Mr Tembo Was a fùèl seller.
Mr. Mweemba says as the place was dark, they lit a candle to have enough light while measuring the petról using a bottle and in the process, the bottle tipped over and spilled petròl onto the candle, igniting a fire that quickly spread to the kitchen where the petròl was kept.
He says the couple managed to rush to the sitting room, but they realized their 5-year-old son, Dalitso Tembo, was still in the bedroom and the father attempted to rescue the boy but was unable to proceed due to the spreading fire and sustained burns.
However, their 15-year-old son, Christopher Tembo, who was in the sitting room, managed to put out the fire to the other side of the room where the younger brother was, using a bucket of water, and then rushed to the bedroom and rescued his younger brother, coming out through the window with the boy unhurt.
The Police Commissioner stated that Mr. Tembo sustained burns all over his body, while his wife sustained burns on her right hand and both legs.
He says both were rushed to Lundazi District Hospital, where Mr. Tembo was admitted due to his critical condition, and his wife was put under treatment and observation as her condition was stable.
NB: Picture for illustration
By White Luhanga
Where was the customer?