BOPHELONG – A heart-breaking tragedy struck the Setaleng informal settlement in Bophelong this past weekend, as a father and son lost their lives in a devastating shack fire.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, around 2:10, leaving the small squatter camp in shock.
This comes after neighbours were awakened by desperate screams for help as flames engulfed the family’s shack.
Dozens of locals rushed to the scene with water buckets, attempting to put out the blaze and save the family of four trapped inside.
They [residents] managed to break down the locked door, but the fire had already consumed a portion of the shack, leaving the mother and her two children trapped in a tight corner.
Lehlohonolo [Ntabeni] Litlhakanyane (38), the father, tragically died from smoke inhalation and burned to ashes with some of his body parts single-picked after the blaze.
His toddler, Lebohang, succumbed to severe burn wounds at a local hospital on Monday.
Litlhakanyane’s wife and their 7-year-old daughter were rescued and are currently fighting for their lives in the Intensive Care Unit at Sebokeng Hospital.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Eunice Litlhakanyane (60), the grieving mother of Lehlohonolo recounted the disturbing moment they were summoned to the scene of the fire.
“When we were called about a shack fire that swallowed my son’s little home, I didn’t have the guts to go there alone. I asked a relative to accompany me and found the shack burned down and my son’s lifeless body charred.”
“It’s an unbearable loss, especially after learning that his baby boy died in hospital,” she said.
The grieving mother said the family is struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss.
“I got dozens of questions on what might have possibly happened. My son was a loving person, he did not deserve to die like this,” she said.
An eyewitness, Shadrack Nelane said the hysterical scream of the kids is what woke him and his wife during the incident.
“We were met by raging flames when we got out of the house. Already some residents were at the door trying to break and save the burning family. What shook the entire community was the condition we found the father in after the fire was put out. Some of his flesh and bones were picked up in the ashy rubble,” he said.
Vanderbijlpark police spokesperson, Sergeant Sabelo Sigcu confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.
