Three children die in shack fire in Gqeberha

Three young children between the ages of 11 months and five years died in their home, after their shack caught fire in Gqeberha on Monday morning

According to South African Police Services (SAPS), at 06:15am the father of the children left for work and the mother went to a store in the neighbourhood while the minors were asleep.

When the woman returned, she found the shack on fire and despite desperate attempts by the neighbours to save them, the fire was too intense and they died.

The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade upon arrival and the cause of the fire is not known yet. SAPS said the matter is being investigated.

The children, an 11-month-old boy, five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl were positively identified.

In July, four children died in Hendrina, Mpumalanga, after a shack caught fire. The children were two sets of twins – two 13-year-old girls and two eight-year-old boys.

ALSO READ: Two sets of twins from same family die in Mpumalanga shack fire

Police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said from the information they received, two shacks in one yard caught fire when power was restored after load shedding.

In a separate incident in May this year, two children died in a shack fire in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

The two young children, aged between two and four, succumbed to smoke inhalation and lost their lives during the fire incident.

NOW READ: ‘Most gruesome’ shack fire: Four dead, including three children

In the same month, three children and an adult died in a multiple shack fire incident at the Marathon Informal settlement, Germiston, in the City of Ekurhuleni.

The children, aged nine, seven and two years old – and a 43-year-old woman were all burned beyond recognition.

Officials at the scene described Sunday night’s blaze as one of the most gruesome shack fire incidents this year.

According to GroundUp, fires in informal settlements are caused by a number of hazards including open flames, paraffin lamps and stoves, and electrical faults.

Despite efforts to prevent fires from occurring, when fires do break out, firefighters often struggle to enter informal settlements because shacks are built in close proximity.