Family of fire victim wants answers

GEORGE NEWS - It has been three months since the death of 42-year-old Pakistani Zubair Muhammed, but his friends and family still face every day without answers.

His Facebook page, filled with loving words of condolences, is one of the many memories they hold on to.

Muhammed died after a fire broke out at his cellphone repair shop, AMZ Celltronics & Repairs, at St George's Square on 6 July.

He was treated on the scene for severe burn wounds to his hands, feet and face before being transported to George Hospital.

Sadly, his lungs were severely damaged due to smoke inhalation and he succumbed to his injuries three days later on Sunday morning 9 July.

Muhammed's brother, Abdul Khan, told the George Herald Muhammed was a good man and that they do not believe his death was accidental.

According to Khan his brother and a colleague were alone in the shop on the day of the fire.

"My brother was poisoned and the shop was set alight," he said.

Marilize Beer points to where the bed was that Zubair was sleeping on when the fire broke out.

Marilize Beer, Muhammed's business partner and close friend, phoned him at 14:00 on the afternoon of the incident. "He said he wasn't feeling well and was going to lie down in the room at the back of the shop. He sounded funny. He was slurring and sounded confused. It was unlike him," she said.

Apparently the colleague phoned Beer at 15:30 and told her the shop was on fire. "I asked him about Zubair and he replied that he was still in the back room," said Beer.

She told the George Herald that the room was locked and the fire brigade had to break it down to reach Muhammed.

According to her the door could only be locked from the outside.

In an e-mail to the newspaper, Muhammed's brother wrote that the colleague told him he was outside when a staff member from the shop next door told him about the fire.

The burnt mattress.

He apparently had no knowledge of it as he had sinus problems and couldn't smell anything. He allegedly also didn't see any smoke coming from the building.

"It has been three months since the fire and my family and I are still in shock. My brother was a father of three beautiful children who will now grow up without him. We want answers from the police," Khan told the George Herald.

According to the police, Muhammed's death is still under investigation and no foul play is currently suspected.

See video below taken on the day of the fire.