A series of unusual and violent incidents unfolded on the beachfront of Fish Hoek on Saturday night, 17 June 2023, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
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Fish Hoek police have launched an investigation into a case involving murder and arson. The investigation stems from a fire that occurred at a Beach Road apartment, claiming the life of a 69-year-old woman. Authorities have also initiated an inquest into the demise of a 42-year-old man who was known to the woman and believed to have started the fire.
As reported by the False Bay Echo, police spokesman Warrant Officer Peter Middleton said a 42-year-old man allegedly set fire to the woman’s first-floor flat at Marine Court at around 7:25pm on 17 June 2023.
It is alleged that the man barricaded himself inside the apartment before jumping out of the rear window after firefighters managed to gain access to the flat.
The man then proceeded to jump over an electric fence and make his way towards The Galley, situated on Fish Hoek Beach. He entered the establishment through a side door and set fire to a tablecloth and several chairs using a cigarette lighter.
According to Manu Choudree from Mach 1 Security Services, the man exhibited incoherent shouting and self-inflicted knife wounds upon his arrival at the scene.
Choudree, along with two police officers, attempted to subdue and remove the man from the smoke-filled room, who persistently kicked and screamed.
‘He had superhuman strength and fought us with everything in him. We eventually managed to get some cuffs on him, and even then he grabbed pieces of broken glass from the plates and tried to stab us,’ said Choudree.
The man was taken to False Bay Hospital by Cape Medical Response, where he later died.
Mathea Eichel, co-owner of The Galley, expressed that they are currently in the process of comprehending the incident and respectfully chose not to provide additional comments at this time.
Warrant Officer Middleton stated that autopsies will be conducted on both the man and the woman to establish the exact causes of their respective deaths.
According to a spokesperson for the City Fire and Rescue Service, Jermaine Carelse, the rescue team responded to a distress call regarding the fire at Marine Court at 7:45pm on Saturday, 17 June 2023. Firefighting teams from Fish Hoek, Kommetjie and Lakeside responded swiftly and discovered a man and a woman with burn injuries.
The woman was pronounced dead at 8:35pm and the scene was handed over to police at 10.51pm.
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