An entire Brits family - Esme Latbotske, JP Bingham and their three children, Luané (2), Benjamin (8) and Marinique (3) - died in a fire at the Purple Moss shelter, near Hartbeespoort, on Sunday, 29 October 2023. Photos: Kormorant and via Facebook @Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Service
A family who was housed at the Purple Moss shelter in Zandfontein died a terrifying death on Sunday evening.
This is reportedly after load shedding compelled the young family to use a candle, which is suspected to have caused a blaze that quickly tore through the shelter, which provides accommodation and food to about 60 impoverished people.
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Esme Labotske (25), JP Bingham (26), and their three children – Benjamin (8), Marinique (3) and Luané (2)—were trapped in the burning unit when they could not find the key to their locked security gate.
The fire spread to other areas of the shelter, destroying five adjoining units as well as the food storeroom.
In the harrowing moments before they succumbed to the sea of flames and smoke, Bingham and his eight-year-old son apparently tried in vain to locate the key.
On Monday, shocked residents relived the tragic events that unfolded the night before when they tried to break the lock and the gate.
One of the residents told the Kormorant that they were alerted to the family’s plight by Benjamin’s frantic calls for help at the gate.
“He was standing by the security gate that was locked, and they could not find the key. Residents tried to break the lock and the door but could not get it open. It was indescribably horrible,” the resident explained.
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Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) responded to the emergency and extinguished the fire alongside members of the Brits fire department. The family of five was declared dead at the scene.
Many of the residents lost all their belongings in the fire and are now without a roof over their heads.
The Purple Moss shelter has made an urgent appeal to members of the public for donations of blankets, clothes and food. Please contact Elsa at 064 664 2060 if you are able to assist.
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