Shack fire death investigated
Springs police have opened an inquest docket following the death of a person in a shack fire, in the Never-Never informal settlement on May 5.
While the Springs SAPS and emergency services have been unable to confirm the identity of the victim, the family of Stanley Mtshali (47) have confirmed he was living in the shack, and believe he died in the fire.
The victim’s body was burnt beyond recognition and neither the identity or gender could be established.
Two families shared the shack, and two people escaped the fire unharmed.
According to Stanley’s sister Mary Mtshali (42), the fire started at 1am.
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Tshepo Malemela, chairman of the Never-Never committee, says the community awakened to cries for help and they attempted to put the fire out with buckets of water, to no avail.
William Ntladi, spokesman for the Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS), says the call was received around 1.52am and crews from the Springs Fire Station responded.
On arrival, fire fighters found one shack fully engulfed in flames.
“Fire fighting was promptly initiated and the fire was soon under control,” says Ntladi.
He says one adult patient of unknown gender was found dead under the remains of the shacks and was declared dead on the scene by paramedics.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined.
