Three people burned beyond recognition in a shack fire at Kosovo informal settlement in Samora Machel this morning. At least six shacks were destroyed which left 14 persons displaced. The cause of the incident is unknown.
A shack fire victim, Nombulelo Thangana, said the incident started after 03:00
“I can’t lie. I don’t know what caused the shack fire. I was sleeping. I heard people shouting fire, fire and when I went out to check my neighbour’s shack was already overwhelmed by the flames,” she said, adding that she lost everything in the shack fire.
Community leader Lonwabo Jako said the deceased are relatives. “There is one guy who is staying here (where the incident occurred). So, according to the information that we received it seems they were socialising yesterday (Sunday 5 October) as homeboys somewhere within the area. Because they were drunk the other two said they would sleep over at his place. But what caused the shack fire we don’t know for now,” said Jako.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted at around 03:05 this morning of informal structures alight at Kosovo informal settlement in Philippi.
“Several crews were on scene and firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by 04:30. Our initial estimate is that six structures were destroyed, leaving 14 persons displaced. The bodies of three persons, gender and ages unknown, were discovered at around 04:20 with fatal burn wounds,” said Carelse.
