Two people died in a house fire in Parklands last week, the police confirmed.
The fire broke out at a house in Parklands shortly after midnight on Monday 11 July.
Capt Adriana Chandler, Table View police spokesperson, confirmed that an elderly couple, 57 years and 61 years of age respectively, succumbed in the fire. “The cause of the fire is still unknown, as the report is awaited from the fire and rescue services department,” Chandler says.
No foul play is suspected at this time.
“The neighbour alerted police after noticing smoke coming from the home,” Chandler says.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue service, says they were dispatched at 01:29 to a dwelling alight in Hampstead Close, Parklands.
Crews from Milnerton and Melkbosstrand were on the scene with two fire engines, a water tanker, rescue vehicle and skid unit with a total of 16 firefighters battling the blaze.
“The first body was located at 01:57 and the second at 02:33 – an adult male and an adult female with fatal burn wounds.”
Carelse says the dwelling and the contents sustained major damage as a result of the fire.
The fire was extinguished at 03:23 and the scene was handed over to the police.
“While there is an increased risk of fire due to the risk of alternative methods of lighting and cooking, there has been no conclusive evidence that load shedding is the cause of certain fire related incidents,” Carelse says.
