Second deadly East Rand fire kills a seventh person
One person died when a shack caught fire in Palm Ridge on the East Rand on Monday night.
Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Services say two fire stations were dispatched to extension 9 in Palm Ridge to the fire scene just before midnight.
According to Ekurhuleni Disaster Emergency Services spokesperson Maswati Mdluli, fire fighters found a one-room shack fully engulfed in flames when teams arrived on the scene.
"Firefighting efforts were immediately initiated, and the fire was successfully brought under control. A search operation commenced after extinguishing the flames, leading to the discovery of a charred body in the room.
"The body is believed to be that of a 55-year-old male, the occupant of the shack, the body was declared dead by Gauteng provincial ambulance services."
This is the second deadly fire on the East Rand in 24 hours.
On Sunday evening, six members of the same family died when the shack they were sleeping in, went up in flames in the Marikana informal settlement in Kwa Thema.
The sole survivor is a seven-year-old girl who was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.
Communities are reminded to use heating appliances with caution during this winter.
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