Community mourns fiery death of 'quiet sisters'

'TOO YOUNG': Keesha, 8, and Renecia Visser, 6, �died from smoke inhalation.

'TOO YOUNG': Keesha, 8, and Renecia Visser, 6, �died from smoke inhalation.

Published Sep 18, 2016

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TWO young sisters died in a fire when their Kensington house went up in flames at the weekend.

Keesha, 8, and Renecia 
Visser, 6, were sleeping in their two-bedroom house with family members when the fire broke out on Saturday.

Their uncle, Oscar Kleinsmith, 50, who lives in the main house on the Glider Crescent property, said everyone had gone to bed in a happy mood. Hours later they were alerted to the fire and rushed to the back.

The family were woken up by screams, with the house already engulfed in flames. Two adults aged 23 and 54 escaped unhurt.

“We tried to break the burglar gates open, but by the time we did that it was too late; the children had already inhaled lots of the smoke."

They were declared dead on the scene. The family were mourning their loss and finding it difficult to come to terms with what had happened.

The sisters, described as being "quiet" in nature, attended Sunderland Primary School. Keesha was in Grade 1 and Renecia in Grade R.

Their mother, Valencia 
Visser, said she was heartbroken her girls had died such a fiery death.

“They were so young to die like that. I loved my children so dearly, I did not expect them to die so tragically.”

Kleinsmith said everything in the house was destroyed.

Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said an 
inquest docket was under investigation.

Provincial health spokesperson Robert Daniels said forensic pathology services removed the remains of the two girls.

Kensington Community Policing Forum chairperson Bertram Bartlett conveyed his condolences to the family.

“We ask that you keep the family in your prayers in this trying time.”

Bartlett said funeral arrangements will be communicated this week.

Neighbour Brenda Sam, 34, said she was woken by screams from the Visser household and when she went to investigate, saw the backyard house was on fire.

“All attempts were made to save the children, but unfortunately they could not be saved. The whole community is crying with this family.”

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