13-year-old 'found drinking alcohol' after allegedly setting house alight

A 13-year-old boy in Hazelmere, KwaZulu-Natal, was allegedly found drinking alcohol at a local tavern after being accused of setting his house alight on Sunday afternoon.

The incident unfolded late in the evening, with Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) responding to an emergency call regarding the fire. According to Rusa, the call came in at 9.17pm, prompting a swift response from their officers.

Upon arrival at the scene, Rusa found that the residents had managed to contain the fire, and firefighters soon arrived to extinguish the blaze. However, the contents of the house were extensively damaged.

“The house was extensively damaged, and the fire had caused significant destruction to the contents of the home. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, but it was alleged that the boy had a role in the incident,” said Rusa.

Further investigation revealed that the child’s mother had been attending a party at a neighbour's house, taking her three children, aged between three and 13, with her.

At some point during the party, the mother asked her teenage son to escort his younger siblings back to their home and ensure they were fed. The boy reportedly refused the request but left the party with the keys to the family home. It was soon after that that the house was engulfed in flames.

According to Rusa, neighbours began searching for the teenage boy, suspecting he may have been involved in the fire.

“Neighbours set out in search of him and located the teenager consuming alcohol at a local tavern,” said Rusa.

The situation has raised comments on social media about the safety and wellbeing of the minors, as well as the potential consequences of their actions.

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