77‑year‑old man burnt beyond recognition in early‑morning blaze

Polokwane – An elderly man believed to be 77 years old has died in a house fire at Mahlolaneng Village in Limpopo, prompting police to open an inquest into the incident.

According to the South African Police Service, officers in Masemola under the Sekhukhune District were called to the scene at about 5.40am on Tuesday after reports of a house engulfed in flames with a person trapped inside.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the man had returned home late on Monday night after going out and later went to sleep in the house.

Neighbours reportedly noticed smoke and flames coming from the property in the early hours of Tuesday morning and alerted other community members.

Residents attempted to extinguish the fire, but the victim could not be rescued.

Police said the man’s body was found inside the burnt house and was burnt beyond recognition.

Emergency services and other relevant stakeholders also attended the scene.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Police said the identity of the deceased will be released after a postmortem examination has been completed and all necessary procedures finalised.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

Article written by Betha

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