Person burnt beyond recognition in Ladysmith supermarket fire
Forensic pathologists are trying to identify the remains of a person, burnt beyond recognition, in a fire at a Ladysmith supermarket.
Firefighters fought the blaze overnight on Queen Street in the CBD on Sunday.
Alfred Duma Municipal spokesperson Siyabonga Maphalala says four people were rescued from the burning building.
Maphalala says they weren't hurt.
"We were unable to get anyone who can confirm that he or she was also part of those who were rescued because immediately when we got onto the scene, everybody was running amock and those who were rescued were unable to obtained for comment, but the SAPS is working on the matter to identify the occupants of the building."
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Maphalala says investigators are probing whether this was a cooking-related fire.
He's dismissed messages that the shop was looted, saying these are fake.
"The supermarket confirms it does have a component of a food outlet but the last hours the front component of the shop was closed around 4pm and thereafter we assume at this stage that the occupants of the building were having some element of cooking."
