A 35-year old policeman who was severely burnt in a fire at a Durban police residence died in the early hours of Tuesday morning, police said.
The policeman, Sergeant Craig Roach, suffered burns to 65% of his body in a blaze in his 13th floor flat in the South African Police Service’s Natalia building on Monday morning.
On Monday evening police spokesperson Superintendent Muzi Mngomezulu said the police’s arson experts from Pretoria had been ”summoned to determine the cause of the fire”.
”A case of arson is being investigated,” he said.
”It is alleged that the fire started from the lounge and the smoke went through the whole three-bedroomed flat. The children ran into the spare bedroom for safety.”
Hundreds of police staff and their families were evacuated from the building as firemen battled the blaze.
The policeman’s wife had suffered 11% burns and the couple’s two children, aged five and seven, were reported to have suffered smoke inhalation.
His wife was described as being in a serious but stable condition. The blaze was contained to the couple’s 13th floor flat.
The couple were airlifted from the police quarters to St Augustine’s Hospital.
Mngomezulu said the policeman was asleep and off-duty when the fire started. – Sapa