Two people died during a multiple-shack fire at the Marathon informal settlement on January 10.

The CoE Emergency Management Services (EMS) received a call reporting a fire involving several shacks. A district turnout was immediately activated, with fire crews from the Primrose, Bedfordview and Edenvale fire stations responding.

DEMS media liaison Eric Maloka said that emergency crews found several shacks engulfed in flames. Firefighters launched offensive and defensive fire suppression operations, containing and extinguishing the blaze.

ALSO READ: Man dies in early morning shack fire in Mandela informal settlement

During a search and rescue operation, two charred, unidentified adult bodies were discovered.

“Fortunately, many other residents evacuated in time,” said Maloka.

“The cause of the fire is undetermined and the matter is under investigation by the local authorities.”

The scene was formally handed over to the SAPS for further investigation. The Gauteng Provincial Government Medical Services declared the two victims dead on the scene.

This fire is one of several reported during the last week of December and the first two weeks of January. On December 30, a Raceview resident was credited for her swift action that prevented a garage fire from escalating into a total property loss.

Upon arrival, DEMS crews found a double garage engulfed in flames. Firefighters launched an offensive response, extinguishing the fire and preventing it from spreading to the main residential structure just metres away.

ALSO READ: Man’s body found after shack fire in Mandela informal settlement

The landlord reported that she was preparing to leave the property when she saw smoke coming from the garage. She evacuated two vehicles before the fire spread, significantly reducing the potential financial loss and removing additional fuel sources from the blaze.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire originated within the property’s installed solar power system.

Maloka added that residents need to be cautious as schools reopen, with the busy morning rush posing safety hazards. He advised guardians not to leave children alone to fend for themselves, whether boiling water for bathing or making breakfast.

ALSO READ: Makause shack fire displaces 18 families, two hospitalised

The DEMS’ safety tips to prevent fires:
• Keep combustibles at least 1m away from heating equipment, such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater;
• Have a 1m child-free zone around home fires and space heaters;
• Never use your oven to heat your home;
• Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed;
• Always use the right fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
It is everyone’s responsibility to be vigilant to prevent fires while keeping warm.

Save these emergency contact numbers for help:
• Fire and rescue services/ life-threatening emergencies: 011 458 0911;
• National toll-free number: 10177;
• From a cellphone: 112.