Five family members, including three children, have died following a devastating shack fire at the Steve Biko Informal Settlement in Etwatwa, City of Ekurhuleni, late on Sunday night.
A teenage boy, who had been sleeping in a nearby outside room, escaped the blaze without injuries.
Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson William Tladi said firefighters got a call at about 11:48pm on Sunday, November 9, 2025, about a shack that was completely on fire.
Crews from the Etwatwa Fire Station were immediately dispatched, with backup from the Springs Central Fire Station.
“On arrival, a five-roomed shack was found engulfed in flames. Fire suppression was initiated. Flames contained and extinguished. And in search, rescue, and recovery, five charred bodies were found under the burnt rubble,” said Tladi.
It is explained that the shack, consisting of three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a dining area, was completely destroyed by the fire.
After extinguishing the flames, firefighters discovered the bodies of the father, mother, and three children, who were all declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
Tladi also confirmed that the surviving 19-year-old teenager escaped unharmed because his outside room was built a few metres away from the main house.
“The cause of the fire is still undetermined and is under investigation by the SAPS and fire safety officers,” he added.
Authorities have not yet established the cause of the blaze but detailed that investigations are under way to determine what sparked the tragedy.
Saturday Star
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