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Three die in fire

Two children and an 18-year-old boy died when high winds in the Eastern Cape made flames from a cooking fire jump to petrol being stored inside a shack, police said on Monday.

Five people, including an eight-month-old baby were also injured, Captain Lingisile Magama said.He said the owner of a shack, a 41-year-old woman, ran a small business selling petrol to neighbours in the Pakate informal settlement in Nqamakwe, capitalising on demand caused by the 6pm closing time of the nearest petrol station.Eight people were in the shack, sheltering from the cold and the wind when the flames came into contact with the petrol.

An eight-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were killed. The 41-year-old woman who ran the business, the eight-month old baby, another 18-year-old man and two 20-year-old men were rushed to hospital.

The fire was contained and no other shacks were affected, said Magama. He said some of the occupants of the shack were her family, but police were still confirming the relationships of all the victims. An inquest would be held.

Thirteen people have already died in several blazes in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend and 25 people have been taken to hospital.The SA Weather Service issued a fire warning due to the strong winds predicted for many parts of the country. - Sapa