Rhodes student dies in blaze at Grahamstown digs

A Rhodes University student died tragically last night when the communal house he stayed in caught alight.

The body of the unnamed student was found by firefighters in the badly damaged house.

Five other male students escaped the midnight blaze unharmed and are receiving counselling from Rhodes University experts.

The dead student, who was in his twenties and came from Durban, and his housemates were sleeping when the fire broke out.

Police spokeswoman  Captain Mali Govender said an inquest docket had been opened.

Police forensics experts are on their way from Port Elizabeth to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Rhodes University spokeswoman Catherine Deiner confirmed a student had "died tragically" in a digs fire last night.

She said they were waiting for the dead student's parents to arrive before releasing an official statement.

The entire roof of the well-kept Milner Street digs was destroyed in the blaze.

Retired farmer Peter Wilmot, who owns the house with his wife Allie, said the fire was a huge shock.

"It is very sad, a house can be replaced but not a life." --