Residents of Angelo informal settlement are reeling in shock with the death of four family members who died in an early morning shack fire on June 10.
Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Sgt Ntsako Ledwaba confirmed the disaster and added that police have launched an enquiry into the incident.
Information gathered suggests that the fire was either caused by imbawula (a makeshift brazier) or a paraffin lamp.
“The fire at the informal settlement was reported around 01:00. While inspecting the scene, officers found the bodies of a man and a woman (couple), a two-week-old baby and an eight-year-old child. Their shack was completely destroyed in the fire,” said Ledwaba.
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Police couldn’t immediately identify the deceased, but residents who spoke to the Advertiser said the killed family members have been staying in the three-room shack, and they are originally from Mozambique.
“Neighbours tried to extinguish the fire with water and sand but it was too late to save the occupants. However, they managed to prevent it from spreading to the surrounding shacks,” said one of the residents, Jethro Dlava.
Extinguish imbawula, candles and any fires before bed
In the wake of the tragedy, police are appealing to all shack dwellers to extinguish candles, imbawula, paraffin stoves and lamps, and all other sources of fire before going to bed to avoid shack fires.
This is not the first incident in which people died in a blaze in the area. Several other similar cases were reported in the area in the past years.
Apart from a few who rely on illegally connected electricity, the majority of residents do not have access to electricity and they depended on imbawula, candles and paraffin stoves. Many have died when their shacks caught fire while sleeping.
The police are pleading with shack dwellers to put out their fires and candles before they go sleep.
Also Read: Two die in another shack fire
