Fire Rips Through One-Room Home, Claiming the Lives of Four Children in Calais

Picture Courtesy: (Sowetan) A grieving mother was admitted to the hospital with burn wounds after a fire claimed the lives of her four children in their one-room home in Calais, Limpopo.

(The Post News) – Four children, three girls aged 3,7 and 9 with their mother’s 11-year-old nephew tragically died in a fire that ravaged their one-room home in Calais, Limpopo on Friday evening.

According to Vongani Chauke, community safety spokesperson in Limpopo, the mother had left the children and went to her mother’s house to collect some food items and to prepare for her eldest son’s initiation school graduation ceremony, which was set to take place over the weekend.

“The neighbours were alerted to the fire when they saw smoke emerging from the house. Tragically, they found all the children had perished when they arrived,” he said.

On Sunday, Community Safety MEC Violet Mathye, accompanied by local municipality officials and the ward councilor, paid a condolence visit to the grieving family. She also visited the Sekororo hospital, where the grieving mother of the deceased children was receiving treatment.

“Chauke stated that “The mother sustained facial burns while trying to save her children from the fire.” He also mentioned that the government would be providing a team of social workers to offer psycho-social services to the family during this difficult time.

MEC has revealed that the police are still investigating the cause of the fire that claimed the lives of four children in Calais village, Maruleng local municipality.

Mathye spoke after visiting the Shiluvane family on Sunday, accompanied by Maruleng Mayor Tsheko Musolwa. She noted that there are various theories and speculations surrounding the fire incident.

According to Mayor Tsheko Musolwa, the municipality is offering temporary shelter, food, blankets, and other necessary items to the family. The municipality will also be assisting with the burial of the four children.

The family, however, is finding it difficult to cope with the loss, stating that they are ‘devastated’ and uncertain about how to rebuild their lives.