Pretoria - The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has appealed to parents and guardians to avoid leaving children unattended.
The appeal from the SAPS comes after two toddlers, cousins aged two, died in a house fire on Monday at Amersfoort.
“According to information received, the toddlers, a set of twins, a boy and a girl and their girl cousin all aged two, were reportedly left in the care of a guardian who also left the kids alone to buy something at the shop, leaving them with a burning candle as the area does not have electricity,” said SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
“Moments later, neighbours saw flames and called for help. The guardian is said to have arrived and informed them that the children were inside the house. They [community members] managed to rescue one of the twins, the boy, whilst the two girls could not be saved and were later certified dead at the scene by medical personnel.”
Mdhluli said the boy was rushed to hospital where he's currently receiving medical attention.
“An inquest case was registered at Amersfoort SAPS and the matter is being investigated,” he said.
“Provincial commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela is disturbed by this incident and calls on parents and guardians to ensure that children are safe and cared for at all times.”
Last month, the SAPS in Western Cape arrested the parents of twin nine-month-old babies who died in a fire that destroyed their home in Delft South.
The fire tore through a backyard dwelling in Stamperhout street, Belhar in Delft South. Police took into custody the parents of the two infant boys, who according to their landlord, we're not at home at the time of the fire.
The owner of the house where the incident happened, Noluthando Tsotso said they were told that the mother of the twins had stepped out to get some food for the children and left the boys in the care of her eight-year-old daughter when the fire started.
African News Agency (ANA)