An eight-year-old boy died and two women and a man were taken to hospital after a fire struck their building Voortrekker Street in Bellville.
According to a statement by Theo Layne, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, the fire started shortly before noon this afternoon (Monday 23 July).
Early reports indicate the two women jumped from the 3rd floor of Amdenhof Building, one of whom was holding the baby.
“The woman carrying the baby suffered spinal injuries, while the other sustained 60 per cent burn wounds on her body, as well as other injuries,” Layne said in a statement.
“The man sustained injuries to his legs while coming down the stairs.” It is unclear what the circumstances are surrounding the condition of the baby, Layne told TygerBurger.
Layne says the eight-year-old boy sustained fatal burns.
When TygerBurger arrived at the scene, there was wailing from bystanders, possibly residents of the building.
The cries got louder and more intense when the lifeless body of the boy was brought out of the building and loaded into the pathology van by city pathologists.
It took two fire engines, one hydraulic platform, a reduce (support) vehicle and 24 firefighters to put the fire out within an hour.
According to Layne, the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Watch the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue team preparing to put the fire out:
