Twin babies, aged about 15 months, burnt to death in a shack fire in Windmill Park in Boksburg on Wednesday.

According to Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson, William Ntladi, firefighters from Vosloorus Fire Station responded to the scene after receiving a call at 19:59.

“On arrival, the backyard shack was engulfed in flames and members of the public were frantically trying to extinguish the blaze with water, using buckets. Firefighters completed the task at hand.

“A search and rescue was conducted following information given, and unfortunately, the charred bodies of the babies were found within the remains of the shack.”

Ntladi says that information has it that a lit candle was responsible for the blaze.

“The parent left a lit candle in the shack and went out to attend to other needs. The tragedy happened during a power failure in Windmill Park,” says Ntladi.

Ntladi adds the scene was officially handed over to SAPS for further investigation.