Neighbours rescue pensioner from fire

Rescuing the old woman who was trapped inside her burning home encouraged her neighbours to help her with no regard for their own safety.

The fire that was allegedly caused by a faulty electricity box in gogo Maria Masha’s bedroom destroyed her seven-room house.

The house caught fire on Tuesday night after the family of three spent Monday without electricity.

According to Masha, a senior citizen of KwaThema’s Masimini Section who lives with her two grandchildren aged seven and 14, she reported her faulty electricity on Monday.

“The electricians came to fix it on Monday afternoon,” said Masha.

However, she said her electricity worked for only a few minutes after it was fixed on Monday and it went off again.

When Masha reported the matter again at KwaThema Customer Care Centre’s electricity department, the electricians were sent to check the problem.

“On Tuesday at around 7pm, when I tried to switch on the electricity, fire came out from the electricity box and I immediately switch it off,” she said.

Adding that a few minutes later, the smoke filled her house and they screamed for help.

The neighbours’ quick reaction saved Masha’s life as she was trapped inside the house trying to save all that she could including her ID book, children’s birth certificates and her pension card.

Furniture, clothes, the roof and a few groceries were destroyed by the fire.

The Masha family now depends on the mercy of their neighbours and family to provide them with a place to sleep.

The pensioner said she has sleepless nights as she does not know how she will rebuild her home.

Ward 80 Councillor, Dora Mlambo said because she could not visit the family due to other commitments, she sent members of the ward committee on Thursday to review the damage and report to her.

“I promise that I will do all in my power to help the family,” said Mlambo.

Speaking on behalf of the KwaThema police Captain Mandla Phori on Thursday said the family have not yet opened a case of arson.