Three children and a young man burnt to death on a Kidd’s Beach farm in the early hours of yesterday.
Desperate attempts by neighbours to save them proved futile. They could only watch in horror as the three-room shack-and-caravan home collapsed, killing all four. The youth was 24 and the children aged six, three and one.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mtati Tana said an inquest docket had been opened and police were investigating.
The Ngekesi children were identified as Anothando, one, Sisanda, three, and Asa, six. A man known only as Akhona, 24, was the fourth victim.
Their home was made partly of cement and had asbestos roofing. A caravan attached to the shack also burnt to a crisp.
Four other people, including an 11-month-old infant, survived.
The dead children’s grandmother, Zodwa Ngxekesi, collapsed when she heard them screaming for help.
Yesterday, she wept as she relived hearing their cries.
“I could do nothing to help them while they desperately cried for help. It kills me. It’s something that will live with me forever,” she said.
The mother of the children survived and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. Family relatives and friends gathered round yesterday to offer support.
Zoliswa Pikoko said the victims were “promising children who had a great future. We grew up here and we hoped they wouldn’t end up like us but would grow up with a better future. I can’t believe they are dead,” she said.
She said they were still hoping for clues about what had happened.
“The family cooks outside, so we don’t know what caused the fire. We hope the police will speed up their investigation, so we can get closure.”
Ngxekesi said she called for help before collapsing but had no hope of anyone hearing them.
Their home was situated in the middle of a farm, far from other houses. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Kidd’s Beach fire claims lives of young man, 3 kids
Desperate attempts by neighbours to save them proved futile. They could only watch in horror as the three-room shack-and-caravan home collapsed, killing all four. The youth was 24 and the children aged six, three and one.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mtati Tana said an inquest docket had been opened and police were investigating.
The Ngekesi children were identified as Anothando, one, Sisanda, three, and Asa, six. A man known only as Akhona, 24, was the fourth victim.
Their home was made partly of cement and had asbestos roofing. A caravan attached to the shack also burnt to a crisp.
Four other people, including an 11-month-old infant, survived.
The dead children’s grandmother, Zodwa Ngxekesi, collapsed when she heard them screaming for help.
Yesterday, she wept as she relived hearing their cries.
“I could do nothing to help them while they desperately cried for help. It kills me. It’s something that will live with me forever,” she said.
The mother of the children survived and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. Family relatives and friends gathered round yesterday to offer support.
Zoliswa Pikoko said the victims were “promising children who had a great future. We grew up here and we hoped they wouldn’t end up like us but would grow up with a better future. I can’t believe they are dead,” she said.
She said they were still hoping for clues about what had happened.
“The family cooks outside, so we don’t know what caused the fire. We hope the police will speed up their investigation, so we can get closure.”
Ngxekesi said she called for help before collapsing but had no hope of anyone hearing them.
Their home was situated in the middle of a farm, far from other houses. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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