Five teens die after sleeping with burning brazier (Paola/imbawula)

Five teenage boys died in Ga-Rankuwa, north-west of Pretoria, after apparently inhaling toxic fumes from a brazier left burning inside a room overnight, with authorities using the tragedy to renew warnings about the dangers of using imbawulas indoors. The South African Police Service has separately warned that coal-fuelled braziers can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and respiratory illness if used in unventilated spaces.

The deaths, which involved boys aged between 17 and 19, have shocked the community after their bodies were discovered on Sunday morning by a parent. Local reports said the group had slept in a room where a brazier was left burning on Saturday night, and emergency officials believe suffocation from toxic fumes was the likely cause.

The incident has drawn attention to a recurring winter hazard in many South African townships, where braziers are widely used for warmth and sometimes for cooking. Emergency services say the risk rises sharply when these fires are used in enclosed or poorly ventilated rooms.

City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba urged residents not to sleep in the same room as a burning brazier and to remove it before bedtime. She said the danger comes from toxins, including carbon monoxide, which can be deadly when inhaled in an unventilated area.

Radebe-Kgiba’s warning mirrors the SAPS guidance, which says coal-fuelled braziers should not be used indoors because they can rapidly build up dangerous carbon monoxide levels. SAPS also warns that symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and nausea may appear before a person loses consciousness.

Authorities have been issuing repeated warnings this winter as cold weather increases the use of heaters, braziers and generators in homes. The SAPS says the convenience of using an imbawula indoors is outweighed by the risk of poisoning, fire and respiratory problems, especially where there is poor ventilation.

Local media also reported a recent safety warning from police urging residents to avoid coal braziers inside homes and to keep living spaces properly ventilated. That advice comes amid broader seasonal concerns about indoor heating injuries and deaths.

The deaths in Ga-Rankuwa have once again highlighted the inequality that shapes household safety, especially in settlements where access to electricity, insulated housing and safe heating options remains limited. In many homes, braziers remain a practical but dangerous solution during cold nights.

Authorities say the immediate lesson is simple: never sleep with a brazier burning indoors. They advise residents to use safer heating methods where possible and to move any open fire outside before going to bed.

The incident is still under scrutiny, but the public health message is already clear: a brazier in a closed room can be fatal in minutes.