‘I heard them screaming’ – Ekurhuleni fire eyewitness
A resident of the Marikana informal settlement says he was woken by screams when he saw his neighbour’s home on fire. Six family members died in the blaze.
Klaas Mabena says that when he came closer, he could hear the occupants of the four-room informal dwelling screaming for help.
READ MORE: Six killed in shack fire at Marikana Informal Settlement
He says he also began screaming for help once he had gained entry to his neighbour’s yard.
“I was screaming for help, and Thokozani (Nkosi) came. We tried to break in, and more of the community members started coming. We tried to extinguish the fire without success. The water pressure was also very low.”
Mabena says those who could started calling emergency services, but it was too late by the time the fire truck arrived.
He says he and other community members broke through the window when they realised the main door and security gates were locked.
“I broke the window and started tearing back the iron sheets. The child managed to come out, but when we called out to the others [in the home], they didn’t respond. That fire was bad; it was really bad.
“I heard them screaming. They said: ‘Help us, we’re dying’. I could hear the child crying, and I asked them to throw the child to the window, but they couldn’t.”
Mabena also sustained injuries during his attempts to save the family.
Traumatised by the incident, Mabena described the blaze as “an evil fire”.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the inferno.
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