A mother, her nine-year-old daughter and her partner were killed on Mother's Day in one of two informal settlement fires at the weekend.
The 39-year-old woman, the girl and the woman's partner, estimated to be in his 40s, died in their shack in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, early on Sunday.
Kraaifontein police spokesman Gerhard Niemand said officers were still trying to confirm their identities.
Although police were still trying to determine the cause of the blaze, Niemand said it had been "very, very cold" throughout the night and in the early hours of Sunday and it was possible the family had kept a fire burning to keep warm.
This could have spread out of control.
Niemand said the deaths of the family had shocked residents in the area and had also been "very traumatic" for police officers.
The City of Cape Town's Disaster Risk Management spokesman, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, said six shacks were gutted in the Kraaifontein blaze and the three had died before firefighters had arrived.
Three other residents were left without shelters.
In a second fire in Khayelitsha, another six shacks were gutted and eight residents left homeless.
Solomons-Johannes said the affected residents had moved in with family and friends.
He said disaster response teams had been to the two areas on Sunday and had provided the residents with building materials, hot meals, blankets and clothing.
While the causes of Sunday's fires had not yet been determined, Solomons-Johannes urged residents not to leave candles, lamps and open flames unattended.
He also urged residents to switch off electrical heating before going to bed.
The 39-year-old woman, the girl and the woman's partner, estimated to be in his 40s, died in their shack in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, early on Sunday.
Kraaifontein police spokesman Gerhard Niemand said officers were still trying to confirm their identities.
Although police were still trying to determine the cause of the blaze, Niemand said it had been "very, very cold" throughout the night and in the early hours of Sunday and it was possible the family had kept a fire burning to keep warm.
This could have spread out of control.
Niemand said the deaths of the family had shocked residents in the area and had also been "very traumatic" for police officers.
The City of Cape Town's Disaster Risk Management spokesman, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, said six shacks were gutted in the Kraaifontein blaze and the three had died before firefighters had arrived.
Three other residents were left without shelters.
In a second fire in Khayelitsha, another six shacks were gutted and eight residents left homeless.
Solomons-Johannes said the affected residents had moved in with family and friends.
He said disaster response teams had been to the two areas on Sunday and had provided the residents with building materials, hot meals, blankets and clothing.
While the causes of Sunday's fires had not yet been determined, Solomons-Johannes urged residents not to leave candles, lamps and open flames unattended.
He also urged residents to switch off electrical heating before going to bed.
- Cape Times
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