A house-warming party turned deadly after a family of four, who recently moved into their new home, died of smoke inhalation from two braai bakke left inside the house on Sunday evening.
The mother and father, both 40, were declared dead on the scene while their two children, six and four years old, later died in hospital.
Another teenager was rushed to hospital and is still recovering.
New Woodlands Ratepayers Association chairperson Shahiem van Nelson was alerted to the incident around 7.20pm.
“I got a call to say there are dead bodies in the house in Ndlamu Street; when I arrived there, along with the newly established neighbourhood watch, we found one braai bak downstairs and one upstairs and the windows were closed,” he said.
“The coals were still red-hot, and the neighbours rushed the three children to hospital, while the couple was taken out of the house, but they were already deceased.
“Soon afterwards we got the call that the two youngest children sadly passed away as well.”
Van Nelson said the family moved into the maisonettes which form part of the new housing development at the start of last month.
They had a braai outside and brought the galleys inside to keep warm that night.
“Saturday night they had a house-warming party, they were just having a chilled vibe, we patrolled and they told us,” Van Nelson added.
“The Sunday we returned to the house again with this sad news. Our prayers go out to those that survived and also to the rest of the family.”
He said mense are currently collecting funds to contribute towards the funeral.
Anyone who would like to help can email him on Shahiemvn@gmail.com.
The Daily Voice visited the home on Monday morning, but the family said they still had to inform relatives in the Eastern Cape and were not ready to speak to the media.
Spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the City’s Fire and Rescue Service were alerted to the incident by residents, who said their neighbours had made a fire in their house on Sunday night.
“The caller further stated that the mother and father were unresponsive and still in the house, whilst the two minors had already been taken to hospital,” Carelse explained.
“The crew from Mitchells Plain responded to the incident and Metro EMS and the SAPS were on the scene.
“Both the adults were declared deceased by medical personnel.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie has confirmed an inquest docket was opened at Lentegeur SAPS for further investigation.
“Police members responded to a call out and found that the four, two adults and two children, had already succumbed due to possible smoke inhalation.
“The circumstances of the incident forms part of ongoing investigation,” Pojie said.
“An autopsy will be conducted during the week to determine the possible cause of their death.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za