Cape Town - Six people were killed an hour apart in two separate Cape Town fires at the weekend.
In Makhaza, Khayelitsha, Melezwa Mntwini, 31, who left her children Athanandi, 10, and Ingakuthi, 5, locked in their home while she went out, said she was forced to listen to their harrowing screams as the shack became engulfed in flames.
She said she was out with her friends at 3am when the fire started.
"I left them alone at home and locked the door like I would normally do when I go out at night.
“I unplugged everything and went to my friends.
“I was not at home. Because it was the weekend, I went out.
“My sister called me and told me there was a fire.
“I ran home and saw the fire had not reached the bedroom.
“I told the people who were trying to help extinguish the fire to break the wall of the shack, but they didn’t listen to me,” the distraught mom said.
“When I saw the fire in the bedroom I felt powerless as I could hear my children screaming for help. I waited for the firefighters next door.
“My neighbour said the fire started at the door. Only my shack burnt down.”
City Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said: “Firefighters from Khayelitsha managed to contain and extinguish the fire, which destroyed a single structure. Sadly, two minors, male and female, were declared deceased on scene. The cause of the fire is unknown pending an investigation by the South African Police Service.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said Harare officers were investigating.
“Preliminary information reveals that the mother of the two was not home at the time of the fire and was alerted by her neighbour while she allegedly visited a friend. The children were burned beyond recognition.”
In Bonteheuwel at 2am on Saturday, four family members were killed in a fire.
According to Carelse, the blaze was picked up by their CCTV cameras.
“Crews from Epping who were first on scene were confronted by a house fully engulfed in flames and immediately started firefighting and search and rescue operations.
“At 2.15am, firefighters found the bodies of two adult males and two adult females who had sustained fatal burn wounds.
“Four others, three adults and a minor, were taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment. The fire was extinguished at about 3.30am.
“One formal dwelling was completely destroyed and two adjacent houses were partially damaged. The cause of the fire is unknown and the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za