Tragedy in Zamimpilo: 4-year-old twins die in Joburg shack fire

A deadly blaze in Zamimpilo kills two four-year-old twins

Two four-year-old twins died after a fire ripped through a shack in the Zamimpilo informal settlement near Langlaagte, Johannesburg, on Tuesday. Emergency crews recovered the children after firefighters extinguished the blaze and paramedics confirmed their deaths on scene.

Emergency response and cause under investigation

The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services said firefighters rushed to the informal settlement following reports of the shack fire. Firefighters recovered two bodies of four-year-old twins, who succumbed to smoke inhalation, and they were confirmed dead by EMS paramedics on scene.

“After firefighting operations, firefighters recovered two bodies of four-year-old twins, who unfortunately succumbed to smoke inhalation, and they were confirmed dead by EMS paramedics on scene.”

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. The city’s EMS spokesperson said the incident is still a subject of investigation.

Warnings as temperatures fall

The tragedy comes amid falling temperatures across Gauteng and renewed warnings about the dangers of unsafe heating methods during the cold snap. The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services urged residents to use heating devices responsibly.

“As City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, we are pleading with our residents to continue to look after heating devices like heaters, braziers or imbawula and not leave them unattended, so that we can prevent fire incidents during these extremely cold temperatures,”

Health department cautions on winter burn risks

The Gauteng Department of Health has warned about a rise in winter burn injuries and fire-related incidents as households turn to paraffin stoves, candles, open fires and other makeshift heating sources. The department specifically cautioned against using braziers, commonly known as imbawula, inside poorly ventilated rooms.

“Imbawula should never be used inside poorly ventilated rooms or left unattended, as they pose a serious risk of burn injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, and may even lead to death,”

The department also provided admissions figures from a specialised burns unit showing that 743 children were admitted with burn injuries during 2024 and 2025 combined, and that 116 children were admitted for burn-related injuries between January and April 2026. It said around 80% of those cases involved hot water burns, flame burns and electrical injuries, and expressed concern that the majority of admissions involve children.

Preventing further tragedies

Emergency services and health authorities are urging residents to take care with heating devices and avoid leaving them unattended to prevent further incidents during the cold months. Investigations into the Zamimpilo shack fire are ongoing.