A devastating shack fire in Swakopmund’s DRC informal settlement claimed the lives of two young girls, aged one and four, shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
According to the Erongo police, the fire broke out while the children were asleep. A neighbour, who also lost his shack in the blaze, said he woke up to find flames engulfing his home. Upon rushing outside, he noticed another shack nearby burning intensely with the door locked from the outside.
The neighbour bravely forced the door open and managed to rescue a seven-year-old child, who escaped without injuries. Sadly, two younger children were trapped inside and could not be saved despite desperate attempts to reach them.
Police confirmed that both girls died at the scene. Their mother was reportedly not at home when the incident occurred and arrived only after firefighters had extinguished the blaze.
Authorities are still investigating the exact cause of the fire, which has left the community in deep shock and mourning.
