TWO young children were killed on Saturday night when a fire swept through the OR informal settlement in Mbekweni.
The fire started in an informal home at 22:00 and spread rapidly through the area.
Unen (1) and Khanya (2) Mhlungulwana fell victim to the flames, when their mother, Laetitia, couldn’t reach them quick enough.
Another nine shacks were destroyed leaving at least twenty people homeless.
A shattered Laetitia said that she had been visiting a neighbour when the fire broke out.
When she rushed to her home to remove the children, the flames were already roof high.
A spokesperson for the fire department said that the fire started in the centre of OR and the access to this area is very difficult.
Only a dirt track runs between the shacks and the railway line. This alone delayed the arrival of the fire-trucks.
The hydrants are also few and far between and firemen had to scout the area to find these.
Another problem which disrupted the work of firefighters was the interference of the inquisitive public.
On Sunday morning various residents were up in arms about the poor living conditions that they are exposed to.
Many of them blame the lack of adequate housing and the authorities’ inability to provide the long awaited houses for them.
