A Durban woman and an 18-month-old toddler died in a fire at the Kennedy Road informal settlement in the early hours of Saturday.
eThekwini municipality said fire and emergency services and disaster management teams responded to the fire shortly after midnight at the sprawling settlement.
The inferno destroyed about 122 informal structures and displaced more than 150 residents.
“Tragically, two lives were lost, a middle-aged woman and an 18-month-old toddler, both suffering fatal third-degree burns. No further injuries have been reported at this time,” the municipality said.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have originated from open flames, possibly due to an unattended stove.
KwaZulu-Natal co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi has also dispatched disaster management teams and social partners to provide relief to the community.
Buthelezi has urged communities to be vigilant when using fire to keep warm this weekend as the province faces cold temperatures and rains due to a cold front.
“We urge communities to exercise extreme caution, especially during colder days when the use of open flames, such as izimbawula and heaters, significantly increases the risk of fires,” he said.
Buthelezi is expected to visit the area on Monday to provide further support to the victims.
TimesLIVE
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