A young mother and her two small children have died in a shack fire in Thabong in the Free State.

Police said that in the early hours of Friday, the woman’s neighbours had heard screams and gone outside to investigate.

“They noticed that a shack was burning and they tried to extinguish the fire. Firefighters were also contacted and after the fire was extinguished, three burnt bodies were found.

“The bodies were identified as that of a 20-year-old mother and her two children (both girls) aged four and one. A case of inquest has been registered for further investigation,” police said.