Toddler dies in Walvis Bay fire

A RESIDENT of Narraville in Walvis Bay is fighting for her life in a Windhoek hospital after sustaining burns to 80 per cent of her body in an attempt to save her two grandchildren from a house fire yesterday morning. The youngest child (2) was burned to death.

According to Walvis Bay’s fire chief, Willie van Zyl, he noticed smoke billowing from the Narraville suburb at around 07h30 and immediately alerted his fire-fighting team.’We were already rushing to the scene when the first call came in to tell us of the fire,’ he told The Namibian.It is suspected that an electrical short-circuit caused the fire in a room adjacent to the main house. This room was where the mother and her two children were staying. The mother had already left for work in Swakopmund, and left the two children in the care of their grandmother.According to available information, the grandmother, Estelle Langenhoven (59), ran into the burning room to save the children. She apparently managed to get the oldest one (aged three) out first but in another attempt to get the little boy, the roof collapsed on her. The firefighters and paramedics dragged her from the ruins.She was flown to Windhoek for treatment.Van Zyl described the fire as ‘very big’, although it was brought under control within about half an hour.’We managed to stop the flames from reaching the main house, and although the room was totally destroyed, the main house only sustained heat and smoke damage,’ he said.