A Valhalla Park family has lost three of their children in a devastating fire that broke out in a wendy house in Hazel Street on Friday morning. Two boys and one girl, aged 13, 6 and 3, were burnt to death when the fire engulfed their home, shortly before suhoor. One twin, a three year old, sustained minor injuries and has been hospitalised at Red Cross hospital. The children have been identified as Adiel Cecil (13), Zainap Smith (6), and Zaakir Smith (3).
According to relatives, the children’s 34 year old mother Shanaaz Smith and Adiel were eating breakfast in the main house with their grandmother when they heard loud screams from the back. By the time they got to the wendy house, the structure was in flames. Neighbours responded immediately with buckets of water, to douse the blaze.
[Photo: Nakhlistan]
“When I got there, the flames had subsided and the wendy was burnt to the ground. The three children were just lying there, completely burnt,” she said.
“I broke down, I was in tears…”
She said the family are shocked and it has “not sunken in yet”.
The City of Cape Town Fire services spokesperson Theo Layne said 14 fire-fighters with four vehicles responded at 7.13am. He said the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.
[photo: Nakhlistan]
Relief NGO Nakhlistan is assisting the family with the janaazah arrangements. The organisation’s volunteers are currently with the devastated father who is still in shock.
The Western Cape social development department said it will provide trauma counselling to the family.
“We are very saddened by the tragic deaths of these three children and we send our condolences to the family,” said department spokesperson Sihle Ngobese.
Anyone willing to assist the family can drop off donations at 45 Murton Road, Rylands. Call Nakhlistan on 021 6334016 / 083 231 9279 the Smith family on 021 934 4192. VOC
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