WALVIS BAY – A young woman (20) and her niece became the latest casualties of shack fires in Walvis Bay yesterday.

The incident left 14 others homeless after a shack fire broke out during the early hours of yesterday in Tutaleni.

The deceased, Beauty Guidao-Oas, and her niece, Gloria Guibes (2), could not be saved despite efforts from the community to rescue them from the fire.

Senior Inspector Judith Shomongula yesterday told New Era that nearby residents were allegedly awoken by screams coming from a nearby shack.

“When they rushed outside to investigate, they found the structure engulfed in flames and were met with the cries of the victims,” she said.

The community fought hard to break the hardboards the shack was constructed with in a desperate attempt to rescue them, but the fire was too intense.

As such, it spread to nearby shacks, destroying them as well.

The Walvis Bay Fire Brigade was summoned to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze.

The remains of the two victims were removed by the police’s forensic pathology unit, and investigations will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the fires.

Walvis Bay mayor Johannes Shimbilinga expressed his commiserations, saying he was saddened by the loss of lives.

“I visited the family in the morning to sympathise with them. We are also currently busy with interventions and will go back to the family once we finalise them,” he said.

– edeklerk@nepc.com.na