Latest news with #eThekwiniFireDepartment
News24
19-07-2025
- News24
Woman, baby ‘locked' in home die in blaze as fire tears through Durban settlement
Nonhle Mbangwa and 18-month-old Niphiwe Zulu died in a shack, which was allegedly locked, during a midnight fire. The blaze destroyed 100 dwellings at Kennedy Road informal settlement, displacing 150 residents. The fire, which was eventually extinguished, may have originated from open flames, possibly due to an unattended stove. A 25-year-old woman and an 18-month-old baby boy died in a fire that ravaged about 100 dwellings at the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban in the early hours of Saturday morning. eThekwini fire department division commander Sifiso Mtshali said the suspected cause of the fire appeared to be open flames, potentially due to an unattended stove. READ | Nine die in KZN fire-related incidents, residents urged to be vigilant He said the fire, which broke out around midnight, had left about 150 people displaced. He said it took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, which had managed to spread rapidly within an hour. 'We had a team of 19 firefighters, with five trucks having responded to the scene. The fire was put out using three rescue appliances, we also had two water carriers on scene.' According to residents who spoke to News24 on Saturday, the woman who died, Nonhle Mbangwa, had allegedly been locked in from the outside of her boyfriend's shack with the 18-month-old boy, and was unable to escape. Nonhle's mother, Sindiswa Mbanga, said the toddler, Niphiwe Zulu, was not her grandson, but was the child of Nonhle's friend. 'No one seems to know who locked her in from the outside. Neighbours heard the cries of the child from inside. Nonhle had only been here for two days; she had been home in the Eastern Cape for two months. If she wasn't locked in, she might have been able to escape,' said Mbanga. She said they had all been sitting around a fire on Friday night when Nonhle and the child's mother left for the shack. 'The child's mother left the child asleep with Nonhle and came back to sit around the fire with us.' Gift of the Givers arrived at the scene around 04:30 to assist residents. Bilall Jeewa, from the organisation, said: 'We have managed to get some tea and sandwiches for now because they have been up all night with children outside.' Resident Vusi Doncobe said he lost everything in the fire. 'At first we tried to put out the fire ourselves, fetching water from communal taps using buckets but it was spreading too quickly.' Last month, about 70 residents had to be rescued from the same informal settlement after a fire broke out at night. Around 40 shacks were destroyed in the blaze.
The Citizen
27-04-2025
- The Citizen
Five people killed in horror accident, north of Durban in KZN
One person was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. The crash happened early on Sunday morning on Eddie Hagen Drive in Cato Ridge. Picture: ALS Paramedics Five people have been killed in a horrific accident north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The crash happened early on Sunday morning on Eddie Hagen Drive in Cato Ridge. 'Stabbing' ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the road has been closed. 'Reports are that a family of six were transporting a critically injured patient who had been assaulted and stabbed to the local clinic when they lost control and left the roadway before colliding with a concrete drain,' Jamieson said. Accident Jamieson added that paramedics responded to this horrific collision just before 6am this morning and found emergency personnel already in attendance. 'Paramedics arrived on the scene to find total carnage. They found that the vehicle has basically split in half. Paramedics assessed the scene and found that all six male patients had sustained major injuries. Paramedics worked on two patients on the scene, however, one went into a state of cardiac arrest and was declared deceased on the scene. 'One patient with critical injuries was rushed to a nearby hospital for the urgent care that he required. A total of five have been confirmed deceased on the scene,' Jamieson said. Investigation Jamieson said paramedics, together with the metro police search and rescue, the eThekwini Fire Department and police are in attendance to investigate the cause of the accident. 'I would advise all motorists to avoid this area at all costs.' ALSO READ: Two injured in 28 vehicle crash on N12 Westbound at Edenvale N3 Toll Meanwhile, N3TC and its road incident management system (RIMS) partners are ready for an expected increase in southbound traffic volumes (towards KZN. People from across Gauteng and other provinces are expected to travel to the coast during the long weekend. N3TC chief operating officer Thania Dhoogra said conditions along the route are currently cloudy, and traffic is flowing freely. Patience Dhoogra urged motorists to be patient on the road. 'Road users are, however, reminded to always be prepared for sudden changes in route and weather conditions which could impact the flow of traffic, and cause congestion and delays, especially during peak traffic periods. 'Always allow for unforeseen circumstances when planning your road trip. Passengers can support drivers by being an extra pair of eyes, helping to monitor their surroundings, and anticipate dangerous situations,' said Dhoogra. ALSO READ: Easter road safety: Over 600 drunk driving arrests as authorities clamp down across provinces
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- The Citizen
Tragedy strikes as dogs die in KZN house fire
Less than a minute Highway Mail Less than a minute Tragedy strikes as dogs die in KZN house fire A number of dogs tragically died after being trapped in a house which caught fire in Malvern, KZN, yesterday afternoon. Highway Mail reports that the house is on Inverliegh Road. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson says the eThekwini Fire Department and CPF members were at the scene and extinguished the fire. According to Jamieson, two people were treated for smoke inhalation. Multiple dogs were entrapped in the house, and they were unable to get out, says Jamieson. 'They unfortunately passed away,' he adds. He says the fire department and police will investigate the cause of the fire Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
