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14 March 2025
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Tragic fire claims lives of two Phoenix siblings after cell phone explosion, KwaZulu-Natal
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Two Phoenix siblings were killed after a cell phone allegedly exploded on the sofa while it was charging. The brother and sister, both in their 30s, from Charclay in Clayfield, died after they became entrapped in their bedroom and bathroom early morning, 9 March 2025. Gareth Naidoo, the head of KZN VIP Security and Emergency Services, said they were alerted to the fire around 6am.
“A devastating fire broke out in the home after a cell phone reportedly exploded on a sofa and it quickly spread throughout the house. Upon arrival, emergency services encountered a structural fire. Efforts to evacuate the premises were hampered as thick smoke filled the building. It is believed that two siblings, aged between 30 and 35, were trapped. The female sibling was believed to be trapped in one of the bedrooms and her brother was trapped in the bathroom,” said Naidoo.
He said in an attempt to escape the smoke and flames, his members and residents, who lived nearby, broke the windows of the house. “But efforts to extricate the victims were unsuccessful due to the intensity of the flames and the smoke. We tried to break the burglar guard to get inside but we were unsuccessful. The fire department arrived and managed to extinguish the fire. They cut the gate and door and then managed to enter the house after the fire was put out. They had to wait a while because the house was too hot to enter.”
“After putting out the fire, firefighters were able to enter the home and conducted a thorough sweep of the property. The sister was pulled out from the building first. However, despite immediate resuscitation attempts by our medics, she was pronounced deceased at the scene. She suffered fatal third-degree burns. Her brother was thereafter extricated from the building and also received cardiopulmonary resuscitation but tragically, the attempts were unsuccessful and he too succumbed to his injuries."
He said residents showed overwhelming support and assisted with efforts to try and rescue the siblings and control the fire. “The use of a hosepipe and wet sand was used to limit the spread of the fire. But due to the extreme danger posed by the fire, entry was not possible without risking further loss of life. The authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion and the subsequent fire. The tragic loss of life underscores the importance of fire safety awareness and the potential dangers of everyday electronics."
Dispute
Initial reports from the scene in Clayfield said 35-year-old Pradyumna Harisuran and his 30-year-old sister Prishni Harisuran were trapped in the burning flat after a cell phone exploded on a couch.
However, their distraught mother Sheena Harisuran reportedly told the Phoenix Tabloid there was no cell phone on the couch. “I want to state this is not true. We are waiting for reports from the investigators and people should stop spreading false rumours,” she said.
Harisuran said she had returned inside the house after her morning prayer outside when she saw the sofa was on fire. “A thick black smoke quickly consumed the staircase. I tried to enter the lounge to go upstairs because my children were up there, but there was too much heat and the smoke was too thick. I couldn’t save them. I quickly ran outside screaming hysterically for my neighbours to help me. I felt helpless as the smoke thickened, engulfing my entire home, not knowing what would happen to my children.”
Source: IOL, TmesLive
“A devastating fire broke out in the home after a cell phone reportedly exploded on a sofa and it quickly spread throughout the house. Upon arrival, emergency services encountered a structural fire. Efforts to evacuate the premises were hampered as thick smoke filled the building. It is believed that two siblings, aged between 30 and 35, were trapped. The female sibling was believed to be trapped in one of the bedrooms and her brother was trapped in the bathroom,” said Naidoo.
He said in an attempt to escape the smoke and flames, his members and residents, who lived nearby, broke the windows of the house. “But efforts to extricate the victims were unsuccessful due to the intensity of the flames and the smoke. We tried to break the burglar guard to get inside but we were unsuccessful. The fire department arrived and managed to extinguish the fire. They cut the gate and door and then managed to enter the house after the fire was put out. They had to wait a while because the house was too hot to enter.”
“After putting out the fire, firefighters were able to enter the home and conducted a thorough sweep of the property. The sister was pulled out from the building first. However, despite immediate resuscitation attempts by our medics, she was pronounced deceased at the scene. She suffered fatal third-degree burns. Her brother was thereafter extricated from the building and also received cardiopulmonary resuscitation but tragically, the attempts were unsuccessful and he too succumbed to his injuries."
He said residents showed overwhelming support and assisted with efforts to try and rescue the siblings and control the fire. “The use of a hosepipe and wet sand was used to limit the spread of the fire. But due to the extreme danger posed by the fire, entry was not possible without risking further loss of life. The authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion and the subsequent fire. The tragic loss of life underscores the importance of fire safety awareness and the potential dangers of everyday electronics."
Dispute
Initial reports from the scene in Clayfield said 35-year-old Pradyumna Harisuran and his 30-year-old sister Prishni Harisuran were trapped in the burning flat after a cell phone exploded on a couch.
However, their distraught mother Sheena Harisuran reportedly told the Phoenix Tabloid there was no cell phone on the couch. “I want to state this is not true. We are waiting for reports from the investigators and people should stop spreading false rumours,” she said.
Harisuran said she had returned inside the house after her morning prayer outside when she saw the sofa was on fire. “A thick black smoke quickly consumed the staircase. I tried to enter the lounge to go upstairs because my children were up there, but there was too much heat and the smoke was too thick. I couldn’t save them. I quickly ran outside screaming hysterically for my neighbours to help me. I felt helpless as the smoke thickened, engulfing my entire home, not knowing what would happen to my children.”
Source: IOL, TmesLive