A shack fire has claimed the lives of three Soweto siblings.

The blaze took place in the early hours Wednesday in Doornkop‚ Soweto.

The three — aged 11 months‚ three and five years — were asleep together with their parents in a shack they were renting when it caught fire.

The cause of fire is unknown according to Johannesburg emergency services spokeswoman Nana Radebe.

Radebe said fire-fighters will investigate what caused the fire.

Ezekiel Kapo who was asleep in his shack which is attached to the victims’ shack said he was awakened by his neighbours’ screams.

“It was around 2am when I heard a woman screaming and kicking my door. I jumped up and saw my neighbour half-naked. She screamed that her shack was on fire. Seconds later‚ I saw her husband who was also naked running out of their shack.”

Kapo attempted to enter the shack to fetch the three children who were sleeping and was prevented by the fire which was ravaging the shack.

Another neighbour‚ Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ said he prevented the woman from entering the burning shack.

“It was chaotic. People were everywhere trying to extinguish the fire. The mother wanted to get inside to fetch her burning children. I dragged her and she was uncontrollable because she wanted to save her children and that is when she and her husband were burnt.

Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said that an inquest docket had been opened.

TMG Digital/Sowetan