Two families are mourning the loss of loved ones after structural fires in the Nongoloza area of Ward 5, Umdoni, left three dead yesterday morning, reports South Coast Herald.

Disaster management assessments confirmed that the blaze affected two households.

The Cibane family lost two members (males aged 37 and 33) after their informal dwelling was engulfed by flames, while the Dlamini family lost one member, a 30-year-old female, in a related incident in the same vicinity.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs reported in a statement that reports suggest that an unattended candle may have sparked one of the fires; however, the official causes remain under investigation by law enforcement authorities who have opened an inquest.

Umdoni Municipality’s Mayor Mbali Cele-Luthuli extended sympathies to the families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this time of grief. The municipality remains committed to supporting the affected families and ensuring that necessary assistance is provided,” she said.

In another incident in KZN, a fire at an informal settlement claimed the lives of five children yesterday morning.

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