A devastating house fire in Goodhope has claimed the life of a three-month-old twin girl, while her sister remains hospitalized in critical condition at Princess Marina Hospital.
The tragic incident occurred on a Tuesday morning around 10 am, with the minor twins left sleeping on a bed alongside their six-year-old cousin who was awake.
According to Goodhope Police Station Commander, Superintendent Batshwari Gaobatlelwe, the 17-year-old mother of the twins was outside the house washing, while the grandmother was away at her Ipelegeng work.
The mother was alerted by the cries of her daughters and observed smoke emerging from the bedroom window.
Upon seeing the smoke, the mother rushed to fetch water from the tank to extinguish the fire through the window.
She later called her mother at work without confirming if the fire was completely extinguished.
Upon returning, the teenage mother realized the fire had not been fully put out, but members of the public had managed to control it.
With the assistance of the public, they rescued the surviving twin from the burnt bed, while their six-year-old cousin escaped unharmed.
Both girls were rushed to Goodhope Primary Hospital, where one twin was certified dead by a medical doctor.
The surviving twin was then referred to Princess Marina Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Superintendent Gaobatlelwe emphasized the importance of leaving children in the care of mature individuals and revealed that a bed and a curtain inside the bedroom were also damaged by the fire.
The cause of the blaze is suspected to be the six-year-old cousin playing with matches.
While police investigations are ongoing, a case of defilement is pending as the twins’ mother is also underage.