DENEYSVILLE- Deneysville community is reeling from a devastating shack fire incident that claimed the lives of three siblings.
Two boys, Tisetso Motloung (13), and Bokamoso Dlamini (8), and their older sister Karabo Motloung (17) died from smoke inhalation in the early hours of Tuesday morning, July 25, when their home was gutted down.
The tragic incident unfolded when a fire engulfed their modest shack the children and their mother called home while she was away at work.
Their home became a nightmare scene as flames rapidly spread through the confined space after catching fire when a pot burnt as the trio slept.
Tisetso, Bokamoso, and Karabo found themselves trapped amidst the encroaching fire, with no means of escape.
According to the family, their hopes, dreams, and laughter were silenced in an instant, leaving the Refengkgotso community in a state of shock and mourning.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Motloung family spokesperson Tshokolo Motloung said they suspect the kids left a pot on the stove and went to bed after lights went out due to load-shedding.
“When I got to the scene of the incident, I applied my police expertise and investigated what might have caused the fire in my personal capacity to get closure on what might have led to the fire. I realized the pot on the stove was burnt and rusted, and the plugs on the stove were still on, that might have been the cause of the fire,” he said.
Motloung said he, together with the father of the last born found the trio burnt beyond recognition.
“The older sister was lying near the door, which symbolized he was trying to exit when she died from smoke. The little boys were just near the bed they slept on, burnt beyond recognition,” he added.
“Our family and the entire community are devastated. We have been in a saddening state before as a family, but this is beyond all the pain we have endured as a family. Losing more than one child is tragic,” he said.
Lerata Ntshala (19) who stays in the house where the Motloung’s were hiring said they were wakened up by smoke.
“We woke up when the smoke entered our house and rushed outside to see what was happening. My father together with some neighbours tried to break the steel sheets while we tried to put out the fire. When we finally managed to put out the fire, the trio was already dead,” he said.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Josephine Rani said an inquest docket has been opened and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.
