A shack fire that terrified residents of an informal settlement in Mdantsane’s NU5, left a woman dead and her 24-year-old nephew in hospital with severe burn wounds.
Miraculously a seven-year-old grandchild survived with minor burn wounds.
The fire in Ramaphosa informal settlement broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning and resulted in the death of 55-year-old Nombuyiselo Feni.
Feni was with her nephew, Lukhanyo Kinana and grandchild, Somila Feni at the time.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the settlement yesterday, the cause of the fire was still a mystery.
Feni’s daughter, Yandisa described how her mother was “burnt to ashes” in the shack.
“She died here,” Yandisa said, looking at what little remained of the shack they had called home.
“Our neighbours were called and they rescued her 24-year-old nephew. My seven-year-old son miraculously survived but was burnt on his face, hands and ears.
“He told me he survived as he was standing next to the door and when help arrived he rushed out,” Yandisa said.
“I was on a piece job and I was called at about 3am. I was really shocked as I left my mother in a good mood,” Yandisa said.
Resident Phathiswa Nquma said: “We also do not know how the fire started. We just heard a commotion at about 1am and when I got to the scene the fire was already big.
“Two men walking past the shack saw the fire first and tried to save Nombuyiselo but she fought back, she probably thought it was rapists at her home.”
Nquma said the door had to be broken down.
“We called the ambulance.
“ was severely burnt on the face and legs mostly,” she said.
Ward councillor Sakhumzi Caga said shack fires were prevalent in the area during the winter season.
“They have lost everything.
“ It’s just sad adding to the loss of life,” Caga said. “We are busy trying to organise with the department of human settlements for the family to at least receive a temporary structure.
“We have asked disaster management and the South African Social Security Agency for food parcels,” he said . — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Fire kills granny, man badly burnt
Miraculously a seven-year-old grandchild survived with minor burn wounds.
The fire in Ramaphosa informal settlement broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning and resulted in the death of 55-year-old Nombuyiselo Feni.
Feni was with her nephew, Lukhanyo Kinana and grandchild, Somila Feni at the time.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the settlement yesterday, the cause of the fire was still a mystery.
Feni’s daughter, Yandisa described how her mother was “burnt to ashes” in the shack.
“She died here,” Yandisa said, looking at what little remained of the shack they had called home.
“Our neighbours were called and they rescued her 24-year-old nephew. My seven-year-old son miraculously survived but was burnt on his face, hands and ears.
“He told me he survived as he was standing next to the door and when help arrived he rushed out,” Yandisa said.
“I was on a piece job and I was called at about 3am. I was really shocked as I left my mother in a good mood,” Yandisa said.
Resident Phathiswa Nquma said: “We also do not know how the fire started. We just heard a commotion at about 1am and when I got to the scene the fire was already big.
“Two men walking past the shack saw the fire first and tried to save Nombuyiselo but she fought back, she probably thought it was rapists at her home.”
Nquma said the door had to be broken down.
“We called the ambulance.
“ was severely burnt on the face and legs mostly,” she said.
Ward councillor Sakhumzi Caga said shack fires were prevalent in the area during the winter season.
“They have lost everything.
“ It’s just sad adding to the loss of life,” Caga said. “We are busy trying to organise with the department of human settlements for the family to at least receive a temporary structure.
“We have asked disaster management and the South African Social Security Agency for food parcels,” he said . — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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