Corpse found in burnt-out train carriage not yet identified

The body found in a gutted train carriage in Fish Hoek has not yet been identified, police said on Sunday.

The corpse was found after firefighters were called to the local railway station shortly before 10:00 on Thursday. The body was found in one of three carriages damaged in the blaze.

Provincial police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, said an inquest docket had been opened for investigation. “Information with regards to the deceased is unknown at this stage,” he said.

Vegetation close to the railway station was also affected by the blaze, which spread to the nearby mountain slopes.

City of Cape Town Fire Services spokesperson, Liezl Moodie, confirmed the fire had been extinguished and that two vehicles were on site to monitor the area for flare-ups.

A base had been set up in Fish Hoek for quicker response, she said.

Owners of homes on Mountain and Contour roads were evacuated on Thursday afternoon as the blaze moved towards the mountainside houses.

Residents, who had been directed to the local community centre, were allowed to return home at 21:00.

They told News24 they were grateful to have homes to return to after seeing the flames burning dangerously close to their properties.

The cause of the fire was not yet known, police said.

Source: News24