THE fierce blaze that ravaged part of Madala Men's Hostel in Alexandra left horrific scenes including a half-naked corpse, four injured people and broken windows.
The fire, which occurred on Tuesday night, was allegedly started by a man who had a domestic dispute with his live-in lover on the third floor of the hostel.
The hostel's inmates in the affected block were left with only the clothes they were wearing. They lost valuables including cash, furniture, identity documents, drivers' licences and school books. Smoke was still billowing from some parts of the floor yesterday.
Witnesses told Sowetan that a man - who is currently under police guard at a nearby hospital - had taken clothes out from a wardrobe, placed them under a curtain and then set them alight. This was after a dispute with his girlfriend.
One of the affected residents, Ben Nkosi, said: "I was asleep with my wife and three children when I heard a woman screaming.
"She asked us to come and help her lover, who had locked himself inside a burning room. I called for assistance from my other neighbours. We broke the door but struggled to enter because the man had blockaded the door with a bed.
"He was already partially burnt in his lower body [when we entered the room]. We pulled him out and he was later taken to hospital by an ambulance. As we were trying to extinguish the fire using a hose pipe, the fire became wild and we fled."
Another inmate, Nhlanhla Mazibuko, who had jumped out of his bed wearing only his underwear, later died from the burn wounds he sustained from the fire. Mazibuko's body was found inside a bathroom.
Thandazile Madonsela, businessmen Thabo Msuthwana and Senzo Siqubu, are among scores of dwellers who lost their belongings, which they estimated cost about R100000.
Ward councillor Chris Mabunda said 150 rooms were badly burnt.
Police spokeswoman Constable Matome Tlamela confirmed that the fire was started by a jilted lover whose girlfriend has since disappeared.
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said an adult and three children were slightly injured. Mulaudzi said it had taken them about three hours to extinguish the fire, and that more than 200 people were affected by the raging blaze. - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Man dies, four hurt in Alexandra hostel blaze
THE fierce blaze that ravaged part of Madala Men's Hostel in Alexandra left horrific scenes including a half-naked corpse, four injured people and broken windows.
The fire, which occurred on Tuesday night, was allegedly started by a man who had a domestic dispute with his live-in lover on the third floor of the hostel.
The hostel's inmates in the affected block were left with only the clothes they were wearing. They lost valuables including cash, furniture, identity documents, drivers' licences and school books. Smoke was still billowing from some parts of the floor yesterday.
Witnesses told Sowetan that a man - who is currently under police guard at a nearby hospital - had taken clothes out from a wardrobe, placed them under a curtain and then set them alight. This was after a dispute with his girlfriend.
One of the affected residents, Ben Nkosi, said: "I was asleep with my wife and three children when I heard a woman screaming.
"She asked us to come and help her lover, who had locked himself inside a burning room. I called for assistance from my other neighbours. We broke the door but struggled to enter because the man had blockaded the door with a bed.
"He was already partially burnt in his lower body [when we entered the room]. We pulled him out and he was later taken to hospital by an ambulance. As we were trying to extinguish the fire using a hose pipe, the fire became wild and we fled."
Another inmate, Nhlanhla Mazibuko, who had jumped out of his bed wearing only his underwear, later died from the burn wounds he sustained from the fire. Mazibuko's body was found inside a bathroom.
Thandazile Madonsela, businessmen Thabo Msuthwana and Senzo Siqubu, are among scores of dwellers who lost their belongings, which they estimated cost about R100000.
Ward councillor Chris Mabunda said 150 rooms were badly burnt.
Police spokeswoman Constable Matome Tlamela confirmed that the fire was started by a jilted lover whose girlfriend has since disappeared.
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said an adult and three children were slightly injured. Mulaudzi said it had taken them about three hours to extinguish the fire, and that more than 200 people were affected by the raging blaze. - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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