A husband, wife and their two young daughters have died of smoke inhalation after an electrical fire started in their home when their lights came back on following a power cut.

Police sergeant David Lekhetha, aged 48, his wife Thakane, aged 38, and their two daughters Nneheng and Naledi, aged 8 and 4 respectively, died in their home in the township of Mfuleni in the South African city of Cape Town.

The fire, which destroyed the home, broke out just hours after the family celebrated Nneheng’s birthday on the afternoon of Friday, 8th October.

According to David’s sister Mantsadi, Thakane died a hero, having got her daughters aged 18, 11 and 1 and her granddaughter out of the house. They were injured, but survived.

The teenager and the baby suffered “minor burn wounds”, according to local media outlet Daily Voice.

Mantsadi, who rushed to the house after hearing the news the following morning, said of her sister-in-law: “I think that she had inhaled a lot of smoke while trying to get her kids out.”

She added: “Thakane was found in her room, while the two deceased daughters were in front of their parents’ room. None of them were burned, they died of smoke inhalation.”

According to the police, David also died of smoke inhalation.

The fire brigade were notified of the blaze in the early hours of Saturday, 9th October. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, but unable to save the victims who were still in the house at the time.

The police are investigating the incident.