A great tragedy has befallen a family after three family members were burnt to death while sleeping in their home.
The remains of the shack where 3 children died as a result of fire in Doornkop Thulani Soweto
Image by: Louise McAuliffe via Twitter
Three family members were burnt to death in the early hours of Wednesday in Doornkop‚ Soweto of South Africa.
According to media reports in the country, the three - aged 11 months‚ three and five years - were asleep together with their parents in a shack they were renting when it caught fire.
The cause of fire is unknown according to Johannesburg emergency services spokeswoman Nana Radebe. Radebe said fire-fighters will investigate what caused the fire.
Ezekiel Kapo who was asleep in his shack which is attached to the victims' shack said he was awakened by his neighbours' screams.
“It was around 2am when I heard a woman screaming and kicking my door. I jumped up and saw my neighbour half-naked. She screamed that her shack was on fire. Seconds later‚ I saw her husband who was also naked running out of their shack.” Kapo said.
Kapo attempted to enter the shack to fetch the three children who were sleeping and was prevented by the fire which was ravaging the shack.
Another neighbour‚ Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ said he prevented the woman from entering the burning shack.
“It was chaotic. People were everywhere trying to extinguish the fire. The mother wanted to get inside to fetch her burning children. I dragged her and she was uncontrollable because she wanted to save her children and that is when she and her husband were burnt." the neighbour said.
Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said that an inquest docket had been opened.