Police are investigating the death of an elderly man from Cape Town after a fire broke out at an old age home in Newlands.
Social housing NPO Communicare confirmed the incident, stating that the fire broke out in one of the apartments at Creswell House on Sunday morning. The complex has 55 apartments.
According to COO Makhosi Kubheka, the tenant, who was in his mid-80s, was found “unconscious in the apartment” and “pronounced deceased, as attempts to resuscitate him failed.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said that “The victim sustained serious burn injuries… but also internal burn injuries and smoke inhalation,” as per News24.
The fire was reportedly extinguished at 12:26 and the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service.
Spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service Jermaine Carelse stated that crews from Wynberg, Salt River and Epping were on the scene: “Upon arrival, it was discovered that there was a fire in the kitchen on the ground floor of the flatlet”.
Meanwhile, Communicare spokesperson Balisa Mancayi said that SAPS is investigating the details around the passing of the tenant, as well as the cause of the fire.
“We are not certain about the duration of the fire and the time it took to extinguish it. However, the fire was contained to one apartment. No other apartments were affected,” Mancayi adds.
Affected tenants and the family of the deceased have been offered trauma and grief counselling by Communicare social development officers, who are qualified social workers, TimesLive reports.
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