A fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning [June 14] in Witsand, Atlantis, killing five people.

The City’s Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at around 2.15am about an informal structure alight in Lebo Mathosa Street. The Atlantis fire crew were quickly dispatched.

Once on the scene, the firefighters were confronted with a number of structures alight. They were met with a hostile crowd according to the City’s fire spokesperson Jermaine Carelse.

Whilst firefighters were busy with mopping up operations, five bodies were found burnt beyond recognition amongst the debris. Three were in one structure and two in another.

The fire was extinguished just after 4am and the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service.

Picture: Unsplash

Shares: