Skukuza - Fifteen of the 19 people killed in Tuesday night's veld fire in the Kruger National Park could have survived if they had remained in their camp instead of fleeing, officials said on Wednesday.
"It appears that those who died tried to run from the fire, but the flames caught up with them. The wind was much faster than human legs can go," parks director David Mabunda told reporters in Skukuza.
People who stayed put were unharmed. The 15 were members of neighbouring communities contracted to cut grass. Eleven people were initially injured but one, a field ranger, later died in the Nelspruit Clinic in Mpumalanga.
The other three victims were also field rangers who had been brought in to fight the flames.
SA National Parks (SANParks) board chair Mavuso Msimang said the fire started on Tuesday evening when windy conditions made it difficult to contain the flames. The blaze raged between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza.
The 15 contract workers were staying in a camp at the edge of the area destroyed by the fire, Mabunda said.
"It is difficult to re-enact what happened, but it appears that the people were scared and terrified when they saw the flames coming towards them. That is probably why they ran."
The 15 died from suffocation and burn wounds and some were burnt beyond recognition.
A number of animals, including four elephants, were also killed, in the blaze which destroyed 70 000 hectares of vegetation.
The Napi Trail camp was burnt to the ground, including tents containing the property of eight tourists who were evacuated unharmed.
Mabunda said officials had done everything possible to contain the fire.
"Even if we were to call upon all the municipal fire fighters available in Mpumalanga and the Northern Province, we would not have succeeded in dousing the flames," he said.
"That was the magnitude of the fire."
Two fire engines and an aircraft were deployed to assist, as well soldiers from a nearby military base.
"We had enough people fighting the fire and did everything by the book," Mabunda said.
By Wednesday afternoon, the fire was still burning but was under control.
SANParks has initiated an inquiry into the blaze, while the department of labour said it would conduct a separate investigation.
"It is important for all the circumstances around this fire to be evaluated so that we can be satisfied that the measures we have in place are adequate," Msimang said.
The police and park authorities were still tracing the next-of-kin of the dead, most of whom were from nearby Makoko village.
Relatives should either visit the Hazyview mortuary for identification or contact 083-925-8679 or 082-808-7432 for more information.
A disaster relief fund to assist the families of those killed has been set up. SANParks and the department of environmental affairs and tourism have each donated R100 000.
The bank details for the fund are: KNP Fire Disaster Fund, Absa current account number 4054043666.
President Thabo Mbeki was among those to convey his condolences to the families of the dead on Wednesday.
"Our hearts go out to those who have lost their loved ones. South Africa salutes the bravery of those who died in the blaze whilst attempting to rescue those trapped by the fire," his office said in a statement.
Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa expressed his shock and sadness and called on all South Africans and "friends of the Kruger here and abroad" to contribute to the fund.
Meanwhile, Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi, who visited Skukuza to be briefed on the situation, told reports that government would provide support to the victims' families.
"We are quite impressed by the prompt response of SA National Parks, notwithstanding the fact that there were so many casualties," Mufamadi said.
MWU-Solidarity, one of the two labour unions at the KNP, also conveyed its condolences but said the blaze could have been prevented.
Spokesperson Dirk Hermann said rangers warned last year that the fire breaks needed to be cleaned up.
"The park, however, decided to retrench these rangers which resulted in a lack of expertise in fire-fighting." - Sapa