KwaZulu-Natal police have yet to make an arrest in connection with the deaths of a Musgrave couple who died after inhaling toxic fumes.
According to provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, “Berea police are investigating an inquest docket. The matter is still under investigation.”
In September 2022, Nicholas and Matri Molver’s lifeless bodies were discovered in their flat.
IOL reported that emergency teams responded to reports of a chemical exposure at a flat.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said it was established that an adjoining vacant flat had been fumigated using a white powder-like substance.
He said firemen used an industrial fan to clear the toxic fumes.
“A Netcare 911 rescue technician with the fire department used self-contained breathing apparatus to enter the home unit, where they found an adult male and an adult female unresponsive in the bed. Both patients were assessed, however, showed no signs of life and were sadly declared deceased,” he said at the time.
The couple had been married in 2018.
Vice-president of the Pest Control Federation SA, Moses Chetty, told IOL that the company hired to conduct the fumigation had not adhered to rules of fumigation.
He said the three main types of fumigants used are methyl bromide, sulfuryl fluoride and phosphine.
He said phosphine was used to fumigate the flat in Musgrave.
“Phosphine gas is usually used in silos in agriculture and phosphine tablets are used in storage tanks. It is slow-releasing tablets that work between five and seven days. It is used to eradicate weevils and mainly used in agriculture,” he said.
Speaking to “Carte Blanche”, the Molver family said they blamed the fumigator and owner of the flat that was being fumigated.
IOL