A family has been left devastated after three young cousins were killed in a fire.
Siblings Qhamisa, eight, and Inako Mbema, 13, and their four-year-old cousin Akhanyile Magama were sleeping with nine other kids at their ouma’s home in Khayelitsha when the fire started.
Enzokuhle Magama, six, is currently fighting for her life in hospital after she was injured while trying to escape the inferno.
Akhanyile’s mom Sesethu, 27, says she was not at home when the shack in Endlovini North informal settlement was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Wednesday.
“The 12 cousins were sleeping in one big bedroom and my mom was in another room,” she explains.
“When the fire started my mom couldn’t help the children as the flames were already too big by the time she woke up,” the grieving mom adds.
“Out of the nine children who survived, one was left injured, she is in the ICU.
“The three who died were my sister’s daughter and son and my four-year-old son.”
The Endlovini resident says they have no idea how the fire started.
“We didn’t have electricity, we were out of units so we can’t say it was an electrical fault,” Sesethu adds.
“And at the time of the incident everyone was already asleep so there were no candles on and the stove was off.”
The ma says they have lost alles and now also need assistance with the burial of the kids.
“We have been left with nothing and we have no money to bury them.
“We were never prepared for this kind of thing, we are really devastated by this.
“My mom is not doing well emotionally but she is coping,” Sesethu adds.
Qhamisa was in Grade 2, and Inako in Grade 5, at Luleka Primary.
“My son was not in school yet and Enzokuhle is in Grade R,” Sesethu adds.
Fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says responders were alerted just after midnight of a structure alight in Khayelitsha.
“Crews from Lansdowne, Mfuleni, Khayelitsha and Strand responded to the scene which completely destroyed the structure and left approximately 14 persons displaced,” he explains.
“Firefighters found the bodies of the two boys and a girl, who sustained fatal burn wounds, amongst the debris at around 1am.
“The fire, of which the cause is unknown, was extinguished at about 1.20am.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg says Lingelethu West SAPS registered an inquest.
Anyone with information about this incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
If you are able to assist the family, please call Sesethu on 066 441 3307.