Four people, including three children aged two, five and seven, have died after a fire destroyed 12 shacks at Marathon Informal Settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday evening, 8 October 2026.
The victims included three minors and one adult whose age has not been publicly confirmed. The fire prompted a response from emergency services, with firefighters from Primrose, Bedfordview and Edenvale attending the scene.
According to information released by Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services (EMS), the emergency call was received at approximately 8:37pm.
Community Members Attempt to Stop the Fire
The first firefighters to arrive were from the Primrose fire station. They found community members attempting to contain the blaze using buckets of water in an effort to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring structures.
Fire crews from Bedfordview and Edenvale also responded to the incident.
Firefighters assessed the scene and worked to extinguish the flames while protecting nearby structures from further damage. Two firefighting hose lines were used during the operation.
Despite the response, 12 shacks were destroyed in the fire.
Four Bodies Recovered From the Rubble
During the incident, emergency personnel received information indicating that people might be trapped inside one of the burning shacks.
Search, rescue and recovery operations were subsequently conducted in the affected area. Four bodies were discovered beneath the burnt rubble.
Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed that all four victims were declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
The victims were identified as three children, aged two, five and seven, and an adult. Their deaths bring the confirmed toll from the incident to four.
Police Investigate the Cause of the Fire
Following the recovery of the bodies, the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation.
Police began investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, while arrangements were made for the deceased to be transported to a pathological facility in Germiston.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. Authorities have not confirmed what started the blaze, and the circumstances leading to the destruction of the 12 shacks remain under investigation.
No confirmed information has been released establishing whether the fire was accidental or caused by another factor.
Investigation Continues
The fatal fire has left four people dead and destroyed multiple homes at Marathon Informal Settlement.
Emergency services responded to extinguish the blaze, while community members attempted to prevent it from spreading before firefighters brought the flames under control.
The police investigation remains ongoing, and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
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