Tears for baby who died in fire

RESIDENTS of Blackberry Street in Bonteheuwel bid farewell to eight- month- old Kauthar Abrahams yesterday after she died in a fire at her home on Thursday.

Residents gathered outside the house of the Abrahams’ relatives where little Kauthar’s body was prepared for burial.

Relatives and neighbours wept, and were too distraught to speak to Weekend Argus.

Kauthar died on Thursday just before 11pm when a fire destroyed the wendy house she was in.

Disaster risk management spokesman Wilfred SolomonsJohannes said Kauthar’s grandmother, Aisha Abrahams, 57, fought hard to save her granddaughter.

Abrahams was also rushed to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Kauthar’s parents were allegedly outside the wendy house when the fire started, said Solomon- Johannes, adding that an unattended overturned candle might have been the cause.

“Preceding events leading to the tragic incident are unclear and the South African Police Services have opened a case docket to investigate the incident,” he said.

In a separate fire, 11 people were left homeless after the blaze destroyed parts of the Fisantekraal informal settlement yesterday.

The fire, which broke out just after 10am, destroyed one formal dwelling and two backyard shacks, said SolomonsJohannes.

The 11 residents escaped unharmed.

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