Staff Reporter
A 20-YEAR-OLD woman identified as Beauty Guidao-Oas, and a two-year-old girl, Gloria Guibes, burned to death in a shack fire in Walvis Bay.
According to Senior Inspector Judith Shomongula, the incident happened on Tuesday, 11 February 2026, at about 03:00 at the informal settlement in Kilimanjaro Street, Kuisebmond.
“It is alleged that neighbours were awakened by someone screaming from a nearby shack, and when they went out to see what was happening, they discovered that a shack was on fire and the person screaming was trapped inside. It was further alleged that neighbours tried to break hardboards to rescue the victims, but the fire was too extensive and it spread to nearby shacks,” Shomongula said.
She stated that the Walvis Bay Fire Brigade was summoned and they extinguished the fire.
A total of six shacks burned down and 14 people were affected, of which two people from the shack where the fire started succumbed to fire injuries.
Their remains were removed by the Namibian Police Pathology, Erongo Region, and are kept at the Walvis Bay Police Mortuary for storage and post-mortem to determine the cause of death.
Next of kin were informed and police investigation is ongoing. The police extend their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, Shomongula concluded.
