Two Siblings Die in Phoenix Fire Amidst Allegations of Cellphone Explosion
DURBAN – A house fire in Phoenix, north of Durban, claimed the lives of siblings Pradyumna Harisuran (35) and Prishni Harisuran (30) on Sunday morning.
The pair, trapped inside the burning house, could not be saved despite multiple rescue attempts.
They will be laid to rest on Wednesday.
The fire reportedly started on the ground floor of the Harisuran family residence before spreading rapidly throughout the building.
The victims’ mother dismissed claims that the fire was caused by a cellphone explosion, as suggested in initial reports.
“There was no cellphone on the couch. After I finished my prayers, I went back inside and saw flames consuming the sofa. Thick black smoke quickly spread up the staircase. I tried to save my children, but the heat and smoke were unbearable”,she said
Neighbours and emergency responders worked together to try to rescue the siblings. However, the intensity of the flames and the thick smoke made their efforts nearly impossible.
Firefighters eventually managed to pull the siblings from the home, but they had suffered severe burns and were pronounced dead despite CPR attempts.
Private security firm KZN VIP initially issued a statement attributing the fire to a cellphone explosion. However, spokesperson Gareth Naidoo explained that no official conclusion has yet been reached.
“Thick smoke and flames trapped the siblings in separate rooms and rescue efforts were extremely challenging,” he said.
The tragedy has also highlighted concerns about emergency response times, with allegations that it took the fire department approximately 45 minutes to arrive at the scene.
Ward Councillor Michelle Lutchmen criticized the delay and called for a formal investigation into both the cause of the fire and the emergency response. “We need to prevent this from happening again by addressing any gaps in emergency services,” she remarked.
Councillor Lutchmen extended her condolences to the family and thanked the community for their efforts. “The loss of two young lives is a devastating tragedy and my heart goes out to the grieving mother,”she added.
As investigations continue, the Harisuran family and the Phoenix community mourn the profound loss of Pradyumna and Prishni, whose lives were tragically cut short by the blaze.
