Home News Neighbours unable to save city family from shack fire

Neighbours unable to save city family from shack fire

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A Roodepan couple and their two sons, aged six and 12, died in the blaze.

Pictures: Supplied

A YOUNG family in White City, Roodepan died in a shack fire after neighbours were unable to gain access to the shack, which was padlocked from the inside.

Police spokesperson Captain Bashoabile Kale said on Monday that neighbours were awoken by frantic screams for help after the shanty caught fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Neighbours could not douse the fire with water as there were no taps nearby. They also had no tools to break down the shack that was already engulfed by the blaze,” said Kale.

He said that a 27-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman and their two sons, aged six and 12, died in the fire.

“A candle is suspected to be the cause of the fire. The deceased were positively identified by their families,” said Kale.

He added that the police had opened an inquest docket.

“The police appeal to community members not to lock themselves in with padlocks inside their shacks but to rather use ‘shooters’ to lock their shacks from inside. We also plead with residents to put out candles before they go to sleep, so as to avoid these tragedies.

“The investigation continues,” concluded Kale.

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