Family of five die in Walmer township shack fire
AN entire family of five died when flames swept through their Walmer township shack at the weekend.
The tragedy occurred at about 8.40pm on Saturday, just 40 minutes after the family – three adults and two little girls, aged three and 10 – had arrived home from a traditional ceremony.
The identities of the victims have not yet been established.
The time between when the family arrived home and the shack caught alight was confirmed by residents who live nearby in the Federation informal settlement in Walmer township.
Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the fire broke out at about 8.40pm.
Yesterday, the shack where the three adults, aged between 27 and 57, and two children lived was just a burnt out shell, with pieces of blackened wood and household items all that remained.
Naidu said it was thought that the fire started in the kitchen area and, despite the best efforts of neighbours to help douse the flames, the fire was too intense and quickly engulfed the entire shack.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said although he did not know the family very well, he had always seen them in the street. “I am just shocked that something like this could happen so close to us,” the man said. “There are other shacks close to the one that burnt, including my own, and although this is a sad tragedy, I am relieved that no one else was injured.
“There is not much I can tell you about them, but they seemed to be very nice people, always smiling.
“Whenever I would walk past them in the street, they would greet me, and I would regularly see the children playing in the street.”
He said when he arrived home, the fire had already been put out.
A neighbour of the family declined to comment, saying: “I cannot talk to you now without a family member [of the victims] being present.”
Naidu said an inquest docket had been opened.