A third shack fire in July has taken the life of a six-year-old, with officials warning of rising fire risks during winter.
Another life has been lost in the third shack fire in Tshwane in less than a month.
City of Tshwane emergency services acting spokesperson Zwelithini Mnguni said a six-year-old child suffered fatal burn injuries in a shack fire over the weekend.
EMS responded to a shack fire in Mamelodi on Sunday evening, where three shacks had caught alight.
Three shacks caught alight
“The incident was reported to our emergency communication centre at 21.33pm,” he said.
“Firefighting resources were immediately dispatched from Mamelodi Fire Station to the scene.
“These included a water carrier and a bush pumper.
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“They immediately began firefighting operations and managed to stop the fire from destroying all three shacks.
“They protected the main house and one other shack,” he added.
The firefighters found a child in one of the shacks with fatal burn injuries.
Shack fire claims child’s life
“Six other tenants survived the fire, including a child who had minor burn injuries and was treated on the scene by the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services.
“The child was then transported by ambulance to Stanza Bopape Clinic for further medical observation,” he added.
Mnguni said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
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Tshwane emergency services urged communities to be cautious during winter to prevent incidents of this nature, he said.
On 11 July, EMS firefighters responded to a shack fire that claimed the lives of five people in Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion.
On arrival, the firefighters found that the fire had already destroyed a four-roomed shack dwelling. Five family members, including a senior citizen, one adult and three minors, were fatally burned in the devastating blaze.
Third fire in July
The firefighters extinguished the fire completely as it was still smouldering.
On 1 July, a two-year-old died after a candle apparently set alight a tent the family was sleeping in on a smallholding at Grootvlei Oos in Pretoria.
AfriForum disaster management specialist Tarien Cooks warned that the dangers of fires are more common in the cold winter months with the use of heaters.
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