Joburg shack fires claims four lives, including that of a child

As cold weather conditions continue to grip Gauteng, four people have died in two separate shack fire incidents in the City of Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the tragic incidents took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“The first fire incident was reported in Orange Farm around 1am this morning were an adult male lost his life when his backroom shack caught fire.

“In another shack fire incident reported around 3am this morning in Matholesville, a family of three – which includes two adults and one child – lost their lives when their five-bedroom shack caught fire,” Mulaudzi said.

Precautions: Danger of heating devices

Mulaudzi said no other injuries were reported in both incidents and the cause of the fire is still a subject of investigations.

“During this extremely cold temperatures we have been receiving in most parts of the City of Johannesburg residents are encouraged to continue to look after all heating devices while in use to prevent fire incidents at home,” he said.

ALSO READ: Shack fire at Joburg informal settlement claims a life

Fleurhof fire

Both incidents come just a day after a blaze at an informal settlement on the West Rand.

On Sunday, one person died after a fire engulfed several shacks at the Fleurhof informal settlement in Johannesburg on the West Rand.

City of Joburg Emergency Management Services said they received a call about multiple shacks on fire at the informal settlement just before 3am.

Body recovered

Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba said two fire engines and a water tanker were dispatched to the scene.

“On arrival the shacks were gutted with flames.  Firefighters battled with flames because of windy conditions and fire hydrants nearby with low pressure. While conducting search-and-rescue the crews discovered one person who died.

“Fire Safety is conducting preliminary investigations to determine the cause and where the fire started. At the moment the city’s Disaster Management is on scene to assist the affected families,” Radebe-Kgiba said.   

In June, two people died, while more than 10 shacks were burnt down, as a fire spread through the Zandspruit informal settlement

ALSO READ: Two dead in Zandspruit shack fire