Three dead after falling asleep with burning coals in their room

Police have opened an inquest docket after three young men were found dead in their room.

Officers responded to a scene in Morongoa Park outside Polokwane on Friday 5 July after family members discovered their lifeless bodies.

Paramedics responded at roughly 5am, with the trio being declared dead at the scene.

Coals inside for warmth

It is suspected the three men died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Initial investigations suggest the three victims, aged between 14 and 22, shared the bedroom and brought a moveable wrought iron fire pit into their room to keep warm.

Residents fighting the cold in winter were warned by police not to light open fires indoors or leave burning coals from fires in bedrooms or living spaces.

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“[Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe] further pointed out that the inhaling of the brazier (fire pit) and other related fires has proven to be a dangerous practice and has the potential to cause harm or death,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

Fire safety tips

Lucy Molobela, firefighter at Limpopo’s Maruleng Fire Station shared several tips on fire safety via the Government Communication and Information System’s Vuk’uzenzele.

“Fire can be your enemy and can destroy your life if you are careless,” said Molobela. To avoid injury or death she advised to:

• ensure that you completely extinguish the fire when you are using it to cook or keep warm;
• Make children aware of the different exit points around a house or property that they can use in the event of a fire;
• Make sure that electrical plugs and appliances such as irons and kettles are always switched off when not in use;
• Avoid and report illegal electricity connections as they are a common cause of house fires.

Dealing with burns

ER24’s advanced life support paramedic Dakalo Tshiwawa warned never to use butter on burns because the oil-based product aggravates the wounds when heated.

For instances of burns during a fire, Tshiwara advised:

• Removing the victim from the source of the burn when safe to do so;
• Remove the victim’s clothing as chemicals in some fabrics can aggravate burns;
• Cool down the affected area using cool water, not ice or iced water;
• Cover the area with ointment like Burnshield or something similar;
• Once sterile ointment is applied, wrap the burn in clingwrap to keep it moist.