Four more people perish in shack fires in eMbalenhle, while 3 others die of smoke inhalation
The young family had already perished by the time the firefighters arrived.
Three members of the Nyalunga-family, including a two-year-old toddler, died in a shack fire at the Azania informal settlement in eMbalenhle on Saturday morning, July 30.
According to Sphelele Nhleko, a family member who survived, everyone was asleep when the fire erupted.
All her belongings and part of the bed on which she was sleeping were incinerated.
Nhleko and her boyfriend were awakened by a blaze in their room and managed to flee with their one-year-old baby.
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/290642/a-24-year-old-man-died-on-a-shack-fire-in-embalenhle/
She said they then noticed that the shack of Eloff Nyalunga (32), Lungile Mtshali (30) and their two-year-old toddler, Tsepiso, was on fire.
“I screamed for help and the neighbours woke up. All of us fetched water from the taps and tried to extinguish the fire but it was too late. The flames were spreading so fast,” she told Ridge Times.
The young family had already perished by the time the firefighters arrived.
“Our family members were already burned beyond recognition.
“We don’t know what caused the fire because our area doesn’t have electricity,” said Nhleko.
She said her family is faced with a financial problem to bury their family members and they need assistance to rebuild their shack.
Residents of Azania illegally occupied land at Ext 22 in 2016 which doesn’t have basic services such as water, sanitation and electricity.
They were accused by the RDP residents of illegally connecting to their water and electricity network.
She said they are appealing to the community for assistance.
Anyone who wants to help this family can contact Nhleko on 076 059 3029.
These residents of Azania illegally occupied land at Ext 22 in 2016 which doesn’t have services like water, sanitation and electricity and the RDP residents accuse them of illegally connecting to the water and electricity network.
Const Busi Mthethwa, eMbalenhle Police spokesperson said they have opened an inquest docket.
In another incident, a 45-year-old man also died in a shack fire on Saturday, July 30.
This happened in Ext 8 in eMbalenhle.
According to Mthethwa, police were informed about a burning shack.
The community was trying to extinguish the fire when the police arrived.
When they further investigated, the police noticed the charred body of a man on a burnt bed and the medical personnel were summoned to the scene.
He was declared dead and police opened an inquest docket.
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/292066/man-51-dies-in-shack-fire-4/
The number of people who died in a shack fire in eMbalenhle since the beginning of the winter has now risen to five.
Police in eMbalenhle also opened two inquest cases after three people died from smoke inhalation in different extensions at eMbalenhle this winter.
According to Const Busi Mthethwa, a man and his son died after allegedly inhaling smoke in their house in Ext 14, while another man also allegedly to died from smoke inhalation in Ext 26.
All the deceased were declared dead by the medical team and police opened inquest cases.
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/266028/residents-blame-shack-fires-on-load-shedding/
