A 48-year-old woman and her three boys aged 15, nine and five, died when their shack went up in flames in Ext 18, eMbalenhle, on Friday night.

Police attended to the call and firefighters managed to put out the fire.

From the crowd, somebody approached police and informed them that he is the owner of the house and he had just arrived from work when he was greeted with the ordeal.

He managed to provide the police with the names of the victims even though he had no idea of what might have transpired.

According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga, the preliminary investigation revealed that the family used a petrol generator to keep the lights on.

Four counts of inquest are being investigated.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela is disheartened by the incident.

She called on families to use energy sources cautiously, especially during cold weather.

She said families should also make use of social services whenever they undergo life challenges.