GIRL (5) DIES AS FIRE BREAKS OUT AT REFUGEE CAMP

MALINDZA – The smell of burnt flesh and soot engulfed the atmosphere at Malindza Refugee Camp on Saturday morning, after a tent caught fire leading to the death of a five-year-old girl.

The Rwandan refugee girl succumbed to death at the Good Shepherd Hospital on Saturday morning after her clothing caught fire and being scalded by residue dripping from the tent she was sleeping in.

She shared the tent with her five siblings and mother.
The fire is suspected to have been started by a burglar. The refugees within the complex alleged that they had been terrorised by thugs in recent weeks.

“We suspect that the fire was an arson attack because thugs have been invading the premises in recent weeks.
“They might have started the fire as a distraction to steal from a tuckshop,” a refugee said.
He said when he came out of his flat to investigate the source of noise outside, it was about 3am; whereupon, he was joined by other residents at the camp and they saw one of the tents in flames.

The burnt tent was used as a tuckshop during the day where sweets, biscuits and snacks were sold as well as other items and the Rwandan family converted it to be their sleeping place during the night.

“We approached the burning tent where we found the girl’s mother with her other five children outside. We helped her get water to extinguish the fire,” the refugee said.

The asylum seeker said though there was not enough water to put out the fire, they eventually succeeded. 
He also stated that during the commotion, the mother noted that not all her children were with her.

The refugee said the mother frantically shouted for her five-year-old daughter but there was no response.
“We found her under a pile of burnt clothes. The burning wax from the tent was dripping onto her head and face,” he said.
He said the girl was found with tears streaming down her face. He narrated that she was burnt by the fire on her face and head.
With all the disorder taking place, some of the residents at the camp phoned the police and the Fire and Emergency Service to assist.

With the child in her mother’s arms, the refugees approached the administrator of the camp seeking transport to ferry the girl to hospital.
One of the refugees alleged that they knocked on the administrator’s door for over an hour to no response.
He said what saved the situation was the arrival of the police, who then transported the girl to Good Shepherd Hospital where she was certified dead upon arrival.

Police Information and Communications Officer  Assistant Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the child’s death.
He said the police on Saturday morning responded to a call at the Malindza Refugee Camp.
Mamba said the child succumbed to death at the Good Shepherd Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has called a press conference today to shed light on the matter. Anthony Masilela, Principal Secretary in the ministry, when sought for comment, said he had been informally notified of the tragedy.
“I was out of the country and I returned yesterday (Saturday). I heard about the tragedy you are referring to informally and I am yet to establish the facts on Monday (today).”

At the camp, the refugees alleged that the incident could not have resulted in a fatality had there been urgency when dealing with it.

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