17 Aug 2020

Police in Thamaga are investigating a case of mysterious fires that have left a family of Malakane ward traumatised and fearful.

The mysterious fires engulfed the homestead repeatedly for four days, some of which were consecutive.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA recently, Thamaga Station Commander, Supt Moses Kwarare confirmed that they had received reports of a fire involving the Kesiilwe family on July 28.

He said the police rushed to the homestead and found a two- bedroomed house owned by Ms Tshegofatso Kesiilwe on fire.

He said when asked about the possible cause of the fire, nobody knew, saying the family reported just seeing the fire burning from the main bedroom.

Supt Kwarare said they managed to put out the fire, with the help of community members and the fire brigade from Molepolole.

Supt Kwarare said again on  August 9, the police received a report of a fire incident from the same family compound, adding that this time, the family said the fire had started from a wardrobe in the second bedroom in the afternoon while they were busy painting the room that had earlier been engulfed by fire.

He said the second fire incident was reportedly noticed by children, who then notified the parents, but still no one knew the cause.

He said on August 10, another fire broke out at the first victim’s parents’ house, which is just adjacent to her house.

He said it was reported that the fire also started in the wardrobe, adding that the next day, another bedroom from another house in the parents’ yard also caught fire.

Supt Kwarare said the fire damage exceeded P100 000 and they had since advised the family to seek help from government departments.

Meanwhile, Ms Tshegofatso Kesiilwe confirmed the fire incidents, which she referred to as mysterious, since they did not know their causes, adding that they assumed the same pattern.

She said the first fire incident occurred on July 28 before six in the evening, from her bedroom and almost everything was destroyed.

On August 7, she said the fire started again from a wardrobe in the children’s bedroom, while they were still painting her bedroom.

The fire then started at her parents’ bedroom, where they had put some of the clothes that they managed to salvage and continued repeatedly at her parents’ homestead.

She ruled out the possibility of an electrical fault since they had disconnected power when the house first fire broke out.

Ms Kesiilwe said they lived in constant fear and trauma so much so that they now slept outside the house.

Her sister-in-law, Ms Motshwariemang Kesiilwe said the incidents had greatly affected the family, while the damage was also huge.

She said they were even afraid of coming into contact with her sister in-law’s belongings, for fear of another fire starting.

She said they were also afraid of sleeping since they did not know when the next one would start. She appealed for divine intervention from churches. ENDS