News24 | Nine die in KZN fire-related incidents, residents urged to be vigilant

Nine people have died in KwaZulu-Natal in two separate incidents over the weekend as a result of fires that were started to keep warm during the cold weather conditions.

Nine people died in fire-related incidents caused by the cold weather conditions that swept through KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.

KwaZulu-Natal Cogta MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has expressed his condolences to the families of the nine people who lost their lives.

In the first incident, seven men died from suspected smoke inhalation inside a house in Henley Dam, near KwaMyandu, Pietermaritzburg on Saturday, after they lit a brazier inside their home.

Reports received by the provincial Disaster Management Cente, suggest the victims were all men aged between 17 and 50, who had gathered to sleep in the house after attending an event.

“It is suspected they lit a brazier inside the rondavel to keep warm due to the cold winter night. Tragically, they did not wake up and were discovered unresponsive on Sunday morning,” said Cogta spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila.

Mzila added that four members of the Mtshali family from KwaGezubuso, including a Grade 10 pupil, were among those who died.

In a second incident also on Saturday, in eThekwini, two people lost their lives in an informal settlement fire, which destroyed 13 structures.

“This brings to nine the amount of lives lost in the province this weekend as a result of winter season related incidents, brought about by either the use of methods to keep warm or electric faults,” said Mzila.

Buthelezi has since assigned disaster management teams, together with social partners, to provide the necessary support and trauma counselling to the affected families.

He has called on communities to exercise “extreme caution” when using heating appliances like braziers and generators.

Residents are urged to be vigilant during the winter season.