A woman in Zimbabwe and her two small children are lucky to be alive after their house was set on fire—allegedly by her ex-husband. The man is accused of starting the fire after she said no to his sexual advances.

Her name is Dorcas Mutengwa. She is 29 years old and was asleep in the early morning with her two children, ages three and seven. She suddenly woke up because she smelled gasoline. Then she saw fire in her bedroom. The house was burning fast. Even though she had already been burned, Dorcas was able to grab her children and get them out of the fire. Her seven-year-old son had burns on his hands and nose. Her three-year-old daughter got burned on her right ear. Dorcas herself had serious burns but still managed to save them.

Police say her ex-husband, Paul Zuze, is the one who started the fire. He has a history of violence and threats. A few months earlier, Dorcas had filed a protection order against him. But he ignored it. He was even arrested once for breaking the order and threatening her with a kitchen knife after she refused his sexual demands.

Neighbors saw someone running from the scene that morning and driving away in a car that looked like Zuze’s. When firefighters investigated, they found that gasoline had been poured on the roof of the house before the fire started. Almost everything in the house was destroyed—furniture, clothes, electronics, and more.

People from the community ran to help and tried to put out the fire. They gave first aid to Dorcas and her children. Many locals are now angry and demanding better protection for victims of domestic abuse. They say the government must do more to keep people like Dorcas safe. They want the courts to take protection orders more seriously and make sure violent partners don’t get away with breaking them.

Police are still searching for Paul Zuze. He hasn’t been caught yet. Meanwhile, Dorcas and her children are recovering from their injuries and trying to rebuild their lives.

This terrible event has shocked many people, but it also shows how brave and strong Dorcas is. Even in pain and danger, she put her children first and saved them from the flames. Her story is heartbreaking, but also full of courage.