Inquest into fire death

An inquest into the death last week of a Grahamstown resident in a fire has been opened.

Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said Bongiwe Peta died after a paraffin heater caught alight and she was unable to escape from the room in the Extension 6 house where she was sleeping.

Khawulizile Mgwanci, 68, was badly burned in the fire and is receiving treatment in hospital for third degree burns to both his legs and second degree burns to both his hands.

According to the police, Mg- wanci said the paraffin heater had been on in the lounge and his cats were playing around it.

In his attempt to chase the cats out of the house, the cat had knocked over the heater, spreading burning paraffin across the lounge floor, Govender said.

“The victim grabbed the heater and threw it out of the door and in the process set himself alight.”

Peta was in the back bedroom. She had been awake but was unable to escape the burning house, which was extensively damaged.