The fire that claimed the lives of the Kleinvlei family in the early hours of this morning happened during load shedding.

Chairperson of the Eerste River Community Policing Forum (CPF) Hubert Kemp says at around 1am this morning, the owner of a house on Belladona Street lit a candle but it accidently tipped over, guttering three informal dwellings and partially damaging the house.

Five people died in the blaze, including two children. Of the two survivors of the tragic blaze, one of them is the daughter of the family who died in the fire.