A 48-year-old mother and her three sons died in a fire in Embalenhle Extension 18 in Mpumalanga on Friday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said: “The three boys were aged five, nine and 15-years-old. The family of four died as fire raged through their shack in Embalenhle Extension 18 on Friday, at about 20h00. Police attended to the call and firefighters managed to put out the fire blaze.”
As it gets colder – Important Advice on Safety from Fire at our Homes https://t.co/mggmmDBJRl #ArriveAlive #Fire @wo_fire @vwsfires @Eskom_SA @BurnshieldZA pic.twitter.com/TpK2medlve
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) May 15, 2023
“From the crowd, somebody approached police and informed them that he is the owner of the house and he had just arrived from work when he was greeted with the ordeal.
“He managed to furnish police with the names of the victims, even though he had no idea what might have transpired.”
Although the cause of the fire is unknown, a preliminary investigation has revealed that the family used a petrol generator to keep the lights on. An inquest docket has been opened.
Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, provincial police commissioner, said she is disheartened by the incident.
Manamela made a desperate plea for families to use sources of energy cautiously, especially with cold weather conditions and energy crisis.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
