One dead, four homeless after fire destroys Chinese restaurant

A fire of unknown origin on Monday destroyed a building that house a Chinese restaurant and was home to five persons at Mackenzie, Linden.

The deceased has been identified as Zang, a Chinese national. Four other persons managed to escape through a window as seen in video of the fire scene.

The fire was reported to the Fire Service at 01:49 hrs on Monday and firefighters from the Linden Fire Station immediately responded to the scene at the intersection of Dageraad Avenue and Greenheart Street.

According to a press release from the fire service on Monday, the wooden and concrete two-storey building was destroyed by the inferno despite the Water Bowser #12 used to combat the blaze.

“The property sustained irreparable damage, with both the building and its contents being completely destroyed, leaving four individuals homeless,” the fire service said.

An investigation was launched to determine the origin and cause of the fire.

The fire service extended condolences to the affected persons and commended the bravery and swift action its firefighters.

Citizens are reminded to prioritise fire safety, ensure that proper electrical maintenance are established and buildings are equipped with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and smoke alarms.