Loide Jason 

As Robert Natanael’s life lies smouldering in the ashes where his house with all his family’s worldly belongings used to stand, all he can utter is that parents should never leave their children alone.

Natanael is the father of a two-year-old baby girl who died after being burned beyond recognition, in a shack fire at Goreangab on Tuesday.

Neighbours say her mother left the deceased and her two-year-old brother unattended with a gas stove on when she went to the neighbours.

Natanael said the incident at Matsitsi Street in Windhoek at around 10h30, ended with two shacks burning to the ground and with a two-year-old escaping with no injuries after being rescued by the neighbours.

“People must not leave minors at home. I feel terrible right now that I have lost my daughter. It is a sad moment, but if the mother did not leave them alone, she would have survived. What my son has witnessed at the age of two, is the worst experience ever,” he said.

He said he was at work when the incident occurred, thus he is not sure what caused the fire.

Since the incident, the mother has turned to social media for good Samaritans to donate building materials, food, clothes, blankets, beds or anything to assist them to rebuild their home.

The Khomas crime investigations coordinator, Nikolaus Kupembona said, “she left them unattended to go to the neighbours while the pot was cooking in the house. That is what triggered the fire. The baby girl burnt beyond recognition.” 

When the fire was detected, a man living at the shack next door, which eventually also burned down, managed to rescue the two-year-old boy.

Isai Sheetekela, who also lost all his documents and possessions in the shack fire, is appealing to the public to assist him where possible.

 He described the incident as unfortunate and urged parents to be more responsible.

ljason@nepc.com.na