A two-month-old baby is lucky to be alive after \u201cescaping\u201d a shack fire that claimed his 31-year-old mother\u2019s life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident happened in Zwezwe informal settlement, Khayelitsha, on Saturday evening 12 November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to witnesses, the child was left by the mother in the care of friends as the area was experiencing load shedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mother returned to the shack to carry out some household chores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is believed she fell asleep and when the power was restored her shack allegedly caught fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attempts by the residents to put out the blaze were in vain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When City Vision <\/span>visited the area on Monday 14 November, the shack was still on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n City\u2019s spokesperson for Fire & Rescue Service Jermaine Carelse said at approximately 22:25 the City\u2019s Fire & Rescue Service received an emergency call of an informal structure burning in Ntomntwana Street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCrews from Khayelitsha, Lansdowne and Belhar were dispatched to the scene and found a single structure engulfed in flames. The body of an adult female was discovered under the debris,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carelse said the fire was extinguished at 23:07 and the cause of the fire is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harare Police Station spokesperson Captain Siyabulela Vukubi said Harare police have opened an inquest docket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe incident was attended by the police on Saturday 12 November at around 23:00 where they found a charred body of a female who died in the shack. The age of the victim is 31 years and there is no foul play suspected at this stage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone with more information about this incident is requested to contact the Investigating Officer D\/Sgt Njabulo Radebe on 081 236 0943.<\/p>\n\n\n\n