Cape Town - A dental technician was killed after a house fire broke out in the Cape Town community of Gatesville just after 7am on Wednesday.
The Gatesville community is mourning the loss of the 59-year-old local dental technician from Shaanti Crescent.
The deceased’s wife and daughter suffered injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.
The spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services, Jermaine Carelse, confirmed crews responded to a fire in the area.
“One man died and two women sustained serious injuries in a fire in Gatesville this morning,” he said.
“The City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted just after 7.30am that a house was on fire in the area. Crews from Ottery and Epping responded and managed to contain and extinguish the blaze by 8.45am,” he said.
“The two women who suffered burn wounds were treated and transported to the hospital; however, the man had suffered fatal burn wounds and was declared dead by medical personnel,” Carelse said.
“The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage and the scene has been handed over to the SAPS.”
Condolences for the family have been flooding in across social media platforms.
Chairperson for the Gatesville Neighbourhood Watch, Fowzia Veerasamy thanked residents for their vigilance and assistance.
“All I can say is thank you to our community for quickly mobilising to assist with the services on scene. We are sad as we lost one of our dear neighbours Ahmed the dental technician,” Veerasamy told IOL.
Provincial police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.
“Athlone police registered an inquest for investigation after the body of a 59-year-old man was found and two women aged 60 and 21 were hospitalised after a fire broke out at their residence in Shaanti Crescent, Gatesville this morning,” Twigg said.
“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.”
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL