A late-night shack fire in the Steve Biko Informal Settlement in Etwatwa resulted in the deaths of five family members, including three children. Emergency services reported that the blaze, which occurred on Sunday, November 9, completely consumed a five-roomed structure. A teenage boy sleeping in a separate outside room managed to escape unharmed.
Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi stated that firefighters responded to the scene around midnight and found the dwelling fully engulfed. After an aggressive firefighting operation, the bodies of the parents and their three children were discovered in the debris. Paramedics declared all five deceased at the scene.
The tragedy has renewed concerns over fire risks in densely populated informal settlements. An inquest has been opened to determine the cause of the fire, which echoes similar recent incidents in Gauteng.
Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi stated that firefighters responded to the scene around midnight and found the dwelling fully engulfed. After an aggressive firefighting operation, the bodies of the parents and their three children were discovered in the debris. Paramedics declared all five deceased at the scene.
The tragedy has renewed concerns over fire risks in densely populated informal settlements. An inquest has been opened to determine the cause of the fire, which echoes similar recent incidents in Gauteng.
