UMBILO SAPS are investigating a case of arson and opened an inquest docket after they attended to a fire complaint in a local shop where an Ethiopian man succumbed to his injuries.

ALS Paramedics’ Garrith Jamieson shared, “Just after 19:30 on Saturday evening ALS Paramedics responded to numerous fire calls in Umbilo Road near Heather Road in Durban. Paramedics arrived together with the EThekwini Fire Department to find what was believed to be a shop fully engulfed in flames. Paramedics stood by whilst the Fire Department worked to extinguish the flames. Once the fire was put out, the firefighters checked inside the premises as there was a report of a missing person. Sadly, a male believed to be in his thirties was found with fatal burn wounds. Unfortunately, there was nothing paramedics could do for him and he was declared deceased on the scene.”

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Umbilo SAPS spokesperson, Pumzile Biyana, confirmed the incident. “Two cases are being investigated, arson and an inquest docket.
“According to bystanders, two men were seen running out of the shop, fleeing in a white Chevrolet Aveo. Soon after that a fire started at KK Spaza shop. Firefighters on the scene discovered one charred body of a man inside the shop. The body was identified as Zanebe Mikyas (30), an Ethiopian.”

At this stage the events leading up to the fire are unknown.

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