Bonteheuwel woman and her two grandsons die in fire

Cape Town – A Bonteheuwel granny and her two grandsons were killed when their Wendy house caught fire at the weekend. The fire broke out just before 2am in Oliehout Street on Sunday.

Miriam Davids, 56, Fawaaz, 8, and Rashaad, 4, died in their bed. Davids’s 15-year-old grandson survived and a girl about 10 years of age sustained slight burns to her knees, face and hands.

The City’s fire and rescue services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said crews from Epping, Belhar and Gugulethu were dispatched after reports that two structures were engulfed in flames.

Carelse said the fire was extinguished around 2.52am and the scene was handed over to police for investigation.

According to the landlord Martin van Rooyen, they tried to save Davids and the two boys but the flames were too big.

“I was sitting outside around a fire in front of my house with another tenant, who lost everything due to the fire, and other people when Miriam’s eldest grandson came running from the back to inform us that the house was burning and people were still trapped inside.

“We didn’t hear, smell or see anything until he came. Luckily he was not burnt. A girl around 10 also survived but was slightly burned.

“When we got to the Wendy house we could hear them calling for help but the flames were just everywhere.

“Sadly, there was nothing we could do. We suspect a candle is the cause of the fire since their electricity box was faulty and they did not have any electricity in their Wendy house,” he said.

Van Rooyen said the bodies of Davids and her grandchildren were found closely together in bed.

“Miriam stayed with her family of six. They have been renting by me for about four years.

“Her eldest daughter, 37, took care of the family, but was not home at the time. It’s really a sad day for us,” he said.

Family member Shanaaz Abrahams said she was sitting with Van Rooyen at the time and could not save anything. “I lost everything and don’t know what will be the next move for me and my family.

“Not one official has come to see how we are doing or to give us counselling,” she added.

Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said Bishop Lavis police were investigating the circumstances that led to the fire and an inquest case docket had been registered.

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Cape Times