In the early hours of Monday, 26 May 2025, a devastating shack fire claimed the lives of six family members in the Marikana Informal Settlement, Kwa-Thema, Ekurhuleni.
The sole survivor, a seven-year-old girl, sustained severe burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
According to Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi, the fire broke out around 3:00 AM, engulfing a four-room shack where the family of seven was asleep.
Despite swift response from emergency services and valiant efforts by community members to extinguish the flames, the fire resulted in the tragic loss of life.
“Firefighters extinguished the blaze. However, on search, rescue, and recovery, all six were found to have burnt intensively, and only one survived with critical burns,” said Ntladi.
The deceased include a 47-year-old father, a 42-year-old mother, and their four children aged 1.5, 4, 12, and 20 years.
The bodies were burnt beyond recognition, making identification a challenging task for authorities and family members.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Police are currently on the scene, conducting investigations and overseeing the removal of the bodies to a forensic pathology facility.
