NABEELAH MOHEDEEN
A seven-year-old girl burnt to death in a fire at her home in Shaanti Street, Gatesville.
Just before midnight on Monday May 30, Ada Ncube’s father, Brighton Ncube, 29, left the family’s wendy house at the back of the property to fetch his wife, Roppa Ncube, at work in Newlands.
According to Fowzia Veerasamy, the chairperson of Gatesville Neighbourhood Watch, it appears that the fire could possibly have been caused by a short circuit in the television.
The body of the Grade 2 Starling Primary pupil was found on the table, after 3am, when the fire department managed to hose down the flames.
The girls parents now stay with family in Khayelitsha.
One of the residents, Rashied Akhom, who lives in the landlord’s house, noticed the fire around midnight and used a hosepipe to try to douse the flames. However, due to the heat of the fire, the hosepipe broke.
He called Mr Ncube who arrived about 30 minutes later, who told him that his child was inside the house.
Ms Veerasamy said the door was locked and the wondows had burglar bars on them, so Mr Akhom could not get inside to rescue Ada.
Ms Veerasamy said Mr Ncube usually left Ada with the owners of an educare centre in the road when he had to fetch his wife from work.
“The community is very sad about the death of the seven-year-old. She was a loving, bubbly girl, very inquisitive and very clever. Donations have been pouring in for the family, in the form of blankets, food, and clothing,” said Ms Veerasamy.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue spokesman Theo Layne said two fire engines and a rescue vehicle had been dispatched with 12 firefighters.
“One informal structure on the grounds of a formal dwelling was alight. A seven-year-old minor with fatal burns was located inside the structure. No other injuries were reported. The cause was undetermined at the time of the fire. The incident was handed over to SAPS for further investigation.”