Police responded to a report of a shack fire shortly before midnight on Sunday (19/7). Upon arrival, officers discovered a shack had been destroyed by the fire, said North West police spokesperson Adéle Myburgh.

“The bodies of five children were found inside the structure and emergency medical rescue services, who attended the scene, certified all five children dead.”

Preliminary information indicated that the children’s mothers, who are sisters, had allegedly left the children at home to visit a nearby location when community members alerted them that the shack was on fire.

“The parents rushed back to the scene and, together with members of the community, attempted to extinguish the flames using buckets of water. Due to access challenges within the informal settlement, firefighting efforts were severely hampered,” said Myburgh.

Three of the deceased children are children from the one sister and the other two, 1 and 8, are children from the second sister.

The tragedy is the second fatal shack fire involving children in Ikageng in less than two weeks. The first incident was reported on Monday (6/7) at the Hashtag informal settlement, where the remains of four-month-old twin boys were discovered among the debris.

 “The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established and police, together with relevant role players, will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident,” she said.

Police once more urged residents to take extra precautions to reduce the risk of house fires as follows:

• Never leave candles, paraffin stoves, or open flames unattended.
• Extinguish candles and switch off heating devices before going to sleep or leaving home.
• Keep candles, heaters, and open flames away from curtains, bedding, clothing, and other flammable materials.
• Avoid overloading electrical plugs and extension cords.
• Ensure paraffin stoves and heaters are in good working condition and placed on stable, non-flammable surfaces.
• Do not leave children unattended in homes where candles, heaters, or cooking appliances are in use.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Plan an escape route and ensure everyone in the household knows how to evacuate quickly in the event of a fire.
• If a fire starts, leave the structure immediately and call the fire department or emergency services from a safe place.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation when making a fire indoors, residents should always ensure a continuous supply of fresh oxygen and a clear path for toxic smoke to escape.

Acting provincial commissioner Gen. (Dr) Ryno Naidoo also urged parents and caregivers never to leave children home alone.

OFM News/Siyakholwa Mbatyazwa sm

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