Cape Town - Despite neighbours’ best efforts to douse the flames, a mother and her 16-month-old baby boy were killed when their shack was engulfed in a fire on Wednesday.
Just before 3am, 14th Avenue residents were woken up by the smell of fire and people calling for help as a backyard shack caught alight.
Community leader Cheslyn Steenberg said he was woken by a dreadful phone call.
“I am shocked and saddened by the incident where a young mother and her baby lost their lives in a shack fire that allegedly started after she cooked vetkoek. Load shedding kicked in and she had forgotten to switch off the stove.
“For safety she locked the door and went to sleep. Many people tried to free her and the baby from the burning shack by throwing water but they could not overcome the heat, smoke and flames.
The area's Sub-Council Chairperson Angus Mckenzie said he was also informed about the incident later in the morning.
“The broader family had been informed about the incident. I’m returning from recess and will do everything we can to support the family during this extremely difficult time. Our disaster management team has been at the scene to assess the situation.”
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted to a structure on fire early in the morning and that a family was trapped inside.
Carelse said crews from Epping, Brooklyn and Milnerton attended the scene and found the bodies of the 32-year-old mother and her baby.
“At about 4.30am firefighters had managed to extinguish the blaze that destroyed the structure and left three persons displaced. The cause of the fire is unknown and the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service.”
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said Kensington police attended a crime scene in Koe-Koe town informal settlement.
“Upon arrival they found a shack on fire. Fire and rescue were dispatched to extinguish the fire. The victims were declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. Kensington police registered an inquest for further investigation,” said Swartbooi.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements has urged residents in informal settlements and backyard dwellings to practice fire safety during the festive period.
The department said cigarette butts, fire lighters, matches, candles, illegal and overloaded electrical connections, and heating appliances such as paraffin stoves could be lethal if not properly monitored.
Cape Times