JOHANNESBURG - "Police arrived and found the boy was already dead and both his parents were dizzy," Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said.

"Yesterday, the hostel had no electricity and the family used a paraffin stove to cook. They forgot to switch it off and inhaled smoke."

Makhubela said both the 36-year-old woman and 39-year-old man were hospitalised. The woman was in intensive care.