A 36-year-old man has died after a fire destroyed his informal home near Trenance Park on Monday (April 27) afternoon.
Image: Reaction Unit South Africa
A 36-year-old man died after a fire destroyed his informal home near Trenance Park on Monday.
Prem Balram, of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said emergency services were alerted to the blaze in the evening.
“Members of Rusa were called out to the scene at approximately 11.08pm after neighbours reported a structure engulfed in flames,” he said.
Upon arrival, reaction officers found that the fire had already consumed the structure.
Balram explained that officers then spoke to the victim’s father at the scene.
“He informed officers that he had last seen his son earlier in the day and was later alerted by a neighbour who noticed smoke coming from the informal home,” Balram said.
A 36-year-old man has died after a fire destroyed his informal home near Trenance Park on Monday (April 27) afternoon.
Image: Reaction Unit South Africa
Community members attempted to put out the fire before emergency responders arrived, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Members of the public tried to extinguish the blaze. However, the fire intensified rapidly and the structure was completely destroyed,” he added.
During a search of the debris, responders made a grim discovery.
“The body of the 36-year-old male was recovered beneath the rubble,” Balram confirmed.
The victim’s father positively identified him at the scene, noting that his son lived alone in the informal dwelling situated a short distance from the family home.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing.