A couple died in a shack fire in Gugulethu’s Europe shanty town on Tuesday, says the fire department.

Firefighters were alerted at about 1.30am, said City Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse.

“Several fire crews from Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Epping, Lakeside and Belhar responded, with about 25 firefighters battling the blaze which was fanned by a strong wind. By 3.10am, the fire was extinguished. Approximately 10 structures were affected and a number of persons displaced. Sadly, the bodies of a man and a woman were found with fatal burn wounds and both were declared deceased,” he said.

The scene was handed over to the SAPS for further investigation.

The dead couple’s neighbour, Babalwa Tafeni, said the fire had started in their shack while they had been sleeping, but by the time she had noticed it, the flames had been out of control.

“I shouted, ‘Fire, fire!’... The flames were so huge that we could not go through the door. There was nothing we could have done for the lady who passed on. The fire was already all over the place.”

Ms Tafeni, a mother of two, said she was grateful her family had survived the fire although they had lot most of their belongings including the children’s school uniforms.

“It was like a dream, but we managed to rescue a few clothes and a few other materials. But for others, they lost everything. They could not save a thing because they were asleep when the fire broke and the smoke was so thick.”

Police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana the cause of the fire was under investigation.

“The two victims were declared deceased at the scene by the medical personnel. A post mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” she said.

Councillor Bongani Ngcombolo said people were dying while waiting for houses from the state. “We appeal to the government to provide our people with houses. We all know that informal settlements are not safe and loved by fires. It is now January and people must pay for schools and uniforms,” he said.

Anyone with information about the fire can call Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

The charred remains of shacks in Gugulethu’s Europe shanty town after a fire swept through there on Tuesday.