Woman held for allegedly starting fatal shack fire
A woman is facing murder charges after she was arrested for allegedly starting a fire in Makhaza's LR shanty town that claimed the lives of two people.
Firefighters got the call just after midnight on Sunday October 27 and were able to extinguish the fire by 1.45am, according to City Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse.
“Approximately 10 structures, one of which was a converted shop, were destroyed in the fire, which left 21 people displaced. The bodies of two adults were found with burn wounds,” he said.
Community leader Zondiwe Matewu claimed the fire had started after a woman who had been fighting with her boyfriend had lit a fire outside the door of his shack. The boyfriend had escaped the fire, he added.
Provincial police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg said a 38-year-old woman had been arrested. He said the police had initially opened an inquest docket but they were now dealing with a murder investigation.
The bodies found among the debris of the fire had been “burnt beyond recognition”, he said.
“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined and the circumstances are under investigation.”
Spaza shop owner Sadik Muktar said the fire had gutted his shop and he had lost all of his stock, worth about R200 000.
