Family of 4 Children Who Died in Vosloorus Shack Fire Left "Numb and Confused"

• Four young children died in a devastating incident in Vosloorus on Saturday, 28 June
• It's alleged that a teenager, who was watching the children at the time, stepped out when the tragedy happened
• “We are numb and confused. We have no income, and the three kids who survived have lost everything,” a relative told Briefly News during an interview

Vosloorus, Gauteng – A community is mourning the loss of four young children who tragically died in a shack fire on Saturday night, 28 June 2025, during a power outage. The fire, which broke out in a three-room shack, was reportedly caused by a candle left unattended. The blaze spread quickly, leaving behind heartbreak, ashes, and unanswered questions.

Sheila Binca, a neighbour who lives next door to the affected household, was one of the first to notice the flames.

“I saw smoke coming out of the roof, and I started screaming for help,” Binca told Briefly News.

“Everyone came running, but the fire was already too strong.”

Despite frantic efforts from nearby residents, the fire engulfed the shack within minutes. Emergency services, including the fire brigade and an ambulance, were called, but by the time they arrived, the shack had been destroyed, and the children were already deceased.

Children allegedly left in the care of a teenager

The children were allegedly being looked after by a 16-year-old relative who lived in the same yard. The teenager had reportedly stepped out to the shops, leaving the children inside the shack.

Among the four children who died were two four-year-old boys who usually stayed in the main house with their grandmother, who was at church at the time. One of the boys’ mothers had been working that evening.

Three children survived, but lost everything

Three other children who lived in the shack were not home at the time of the fire and survived. However, they returned to find their home reduced to ashes.

“We all lived in that three-room shack. Now we are left with only one room that wasn’t attached to the rest,” a grieving family member said in an interview with Briefly News.

The surviving children, who are of school-going age, lost all their belongings, including clothes, school uniforms, books, and personal items, compounding the emotional trauma with material hardship.

Grieving families call for support

Sbonelelo Mthabela, father to one of the victims, Nkazimulo Mthabela, and uncle to another, Ricky Ntuli, both aged four, expressed deep sorrow:

“I’m not working, and this is very difficult for me. I just want to bury my children with dignity. We plan to take them back home to Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

Ncamisile Tshabalala, the older sister of Anele (14) and Emihle Tshabalala (five), spoke through tears as she tried to make sense of the tragedy.

“We are numb and confused. We have no income, and the three kids who survived have lost everything,” she said.

“They didn’t just lose their siblings; they lost their entire world. They’re supposed to go to school, but they don’t even have uniforms, books, or clothes.”

The fire has left a gaping wound in the Vosloorus community. The families are now appealing to the public, government, and local NGOs for support as they try to rebuild their lives, lay their children to rest, and provide the surviving children with the necessities to continue living and learning.

4 Babies die in Johannesburg fire

In May, Briefly News reported that a devastating fire claimed the lives of four baby girls, all under two years old.

It’s alleged that four babies were left unattended by a childminder at a residential rented house, in a room used as an unregistered daycare centre on Monday, 19 May 2025.

Speaking to local correspondent, Nokulunga Mthembu, one of the tenants, Simosenkosi Sibanda, who shared the house with the childminder, said she has been renting one of the rooms for two years.

Proofreading by Rianette Cluley, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News