Two children die in Bishop Lavis fire as family mourns tragic loss

A devastating fire in Bishop Lavis has claimed the lives of two young children, leaving a family and community in deep mourning.

Lamar Saaiman, aged 4, and Shanique Geduld, aged 10, died in the early hours of Tuesday morning when a blaze engulfed the Wendy house where they were asleep.

The children were inside the backyard dwelling on Limpopo Road when the fire broke out at approximately 1.50 am.

Their cousin, Amber Saaiman, described being awoken by a loud explosion.

“I was sleeping in my shack next to my uncle's, when I heard the explosion,” she said.

“I thought someone threw a bomb at my place. I grabbed my children and rushed outside, calling for my uncle.”

As she ran past the door of the burning Wendy house, Amber saw her uncle and his wife emerging, both severely burned.

“His wife’s clothes were stuck on her shoulder, and they were both on fire,” she recalled. “I didn’t hear the children cry or anything... I assumed they had already died by the time their parents got out.”

Amber believes the fire may have started after a paraffin lamp tipped over onto a gas tank, causing it to explode,” she explained.

“They were asleep with the lamp on. We think the gas tank exploded after it fell and started the blaze.”

In addition to the tragic loss of the two children, Amber said the family also lost four newborn puppies in the fire.

“The puppies had just opened their eyes last week. They also died in the fire.”

City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed the sequence of events.

Fire crews from Epping and Belhar responded to the call shortly before 2am and found the informal structure at the back of the main house fully engulfed in flames.

“By 2.50 am, firefighters had extinguished the blaze,” Carelse said.

“Unfortunately, the structure was destroyed. Two minors, a 4-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, were declared deceased on the scene. Their parents sustained burn injuries and were transported to a nearby medical facility.”

The cause of the fire has yet to be officially confirmed and will be investigated by police.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie said Bishop Lavis detectives have registered an inquest docket.

“Members responded to the scene at about 2.30am on Tuesday, 13 May 2025, where the bodies of the two children were discovered in the burnt-out Wendy house,” he said.

“The family of four was asleep when they were overwhelmed by the flames. Attempts by the parents to rescue the children resulted in them sustaining serious burns. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined and forms part of the ongoing police investigation.”

As the family struggles to come to terms with the tragic loss, they now also face the burden of rebuilding their lives amid trauma, injury, and grief. Ward councillor Charles Esau rallied to support them in the aftermath of the tragedy.

He said he would assist the family.

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za