Wheelchair-bound man dies in shack fire in Katlehong
EMS spokesperson William Ntladi says investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire
A 38-year-old wheelchair-bound man tragically lost his life in a shack fire that occurred in Zonkizizwe Extension Six, Katlehong, Ekurhuleni. Emergency services were alerted to the blaze on Friday night, but sadly, the man was discovered deceased beneath the collapsed corrugated iron sheets following the fire's suppression. The Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Service (EMS) spokesperson, William Ntladi, revealed that investigators are currently probing the origin of the fire.
Upon arrival, members of the community were actively combating the flames using a bucket brigade system, while firefighters employed attack lines from the fire engine to successfully contain the blaze and rescue the trapped individual. Tragically, rescue and recovery efforts revealed the man's burnt body under the corrugated metal sheets.
Despite paramedics' efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The area was subsequently turned over to the South African Police Service officers for further inquiries.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
