Ten people have died in separate fire incidents in the Eastern Cape, while more than 50 shacks have been burnt in the Nompumelelo informal settlement in East London.

Police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu says members of two families died when their shacks caught fire in Ndevana and Algoa Park, respectively, this weekend.

Naidu says in the first incident, a woman and her three children died in the early hours of Friday when their home burned down in Tshabo in Ndevana.

She says that six other people died in Algoa Park.

“In another incident, a family of six also died when their shack in Jack Street in Missionvale in Algoa Park in Gqeberha burned to the ground. It is alleged that two adults and four children died in the blaze. Ages and names are not yet known. It is suspected that the cause may have been as a result of illegal electricity connection however the exact cause will be determined by the fire department.”