Published on: 2026-07-20
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Johannesburg, July 20 /Xinhua/ — Five children died in a fire in one of the shacks of the informal settlement Sonderwater in the town of Ikageng, North West Province of the Republic of South Africa. This was reported on Monday by the South African Police Service.
According to the agency’s statement, the law enforcement officers were dispatched to a fire call on July 19 shortly before midnight. Upon arrival, they found a hut destroyed by fire, inside which the bodies of five children were located. Paramedics confirmed the death of all five at the scene.
The preliminary investigation showed that the mothers of the children, who are sisters to each other, left the children home alone, having gone to a neighboring district.
Local residents informed the women about the fire, and they rushed back to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were hindered by limited access within the informal settlement.
The victims were three girls and two boys aged from one to nine years old. The police have launched an investigation into the incident, and the cause of the fire is being determined. –0–
Please note; This information is raw content received directly from the source of information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.