Two separate fires claimed the lives of five children in Durban on Sunday morning.

“It is alleged that in the early hours of Sunday morning three bodies of children‚ twins aged six and a three-year-old‚ were found burnt beyond recognition at Fannin road in Wyebank. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated‚” said police spokesman Captain Nqobile Gwala.

eThekweni Fire department’s divisional commander‚ Dennis Govender‚ said they received a call about 3.30am of a fire at an informal settlement in Wyebank.

“Upon arrival we found two shacks well alight. We were then informed that there were three children inside. While putting out the blaze we conducted a search and found the three children in a corner burnt beyond recognition.

“It was alleged the children were alone‚ locked inside the shack‚” said Govender.

In the second incident‚ two children – a five-year-old and an eight-month old baby — died when their house caught fire in Phoenix at about 5am.

“Circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated‚” said Gwala.