Emergency responders treat victims of the Belverdere fire, with three individuals hospitalised for burns and smoke inhalation.
Image: Suppied
An elderly woman died, and three others were injured in a house fire on Wednesday on Edmundsbury Road in Belverdere, north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.
The fire broke out at 11.51am, and emergency services were called to the scene after reports of people trapped inside.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said firefighters extinguished the blaze and rescued three occupants.
The elderly woman was found deceased inside the home.
Paramedics treated a female victim for multiple burns, while two males were treated for smoke inhalation, Balram said.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
This incident follows another tragic fire in Clayfield, Phoenix, last month, where two siblings were killed.
KZN VIP Protection Services reported that fire was believed to have been caused by a cellphone explosion, which set a sofa on fire.
Despite rescue efforts, the flames spread rapidly, trapping the siblings inside.
Emergency personnel struggled against thick smoke and intense heat but were able to locate the victims.
The female sibling was found first and despite CPR efforts, was declared dead.
Her brother, also rescued, later succumbed to his burn injuries. Authorities are investigating the cause of both fires.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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