Five Children Burnt To Death In Shack Fire
Five children who are cousins were burnt beyond recognition at the Itireleng squatter camp near Laudium in Tshwane. The children aged between one and seven died in the tragic incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A spokesperson for the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Charles Mabaso said they received a call at 4:26 am this morning about six shacks that have been ravaged by the fire.
“Firefighters arrived on the scene to find multiple shacks engulfed by fire and immediately started with firefighting operations. The remains of five children, who were burnt beyond recognition, were discovered in the ruins of the shacks after the fire was extinguished,” Mabaso said.
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Mabaso added that the five children, three boys aged 2, 4, and 6 and two girls aged 7 years old and 17 months old belonged to two sisters. He said it’s alleged that the two sisters left the children alone inside a shack and went drinking at a local tavern.
“At the time of releasing the statement, the sisters were under police arrest and taken to a local police station for questioning. The circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire are still under investigation,” he said.
Mabaso called on parents and caregivers to ensure that children are always left under the care of an adult and in a safe environment. The circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire are still under investigation.
