South Africa
Shack fire claims four lives─── 10:12 Mon, 02 May 2022
Three children and an adult died in a multiple shack fire incident in Marathon Informal settlement, Germiston in the City of Ekurhuleni.
The children aged nine, seven and two years including a female adult aged forty-three, all burned beyond recognition on Sunday night.
All four were declared deceased on scene by paramedics. The children's mother escaped with minor burn wounds.
City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) firefighters received the call exactly at 23:13 Sunday evening, and responded promptly for intervention. The Primrose, Bedfordview and Albertina Sisulu fire stations were in attendance with three fire engines.
On arrival, a multiple number of shacks were already destroyed by flames, and spreading to others.
Offensive direct fire suppression was initiated to prevent further spread.
The cause of the fire is suspected to be a paraffin stove left unattended in one of the shacks.
An inquest docket is being investigated by the South African police services (SAPS).
