WATCH: Blaze destroys family home in Van Riebeeck Park
A man who was trying to rescue a puppy suffered burns.
A Van Riebeeck Park home was gutted following a blaze that began in the family home.
Property owner, Alan Birkenfield, who was renting the house to a mother of three young girls, said a puppy died in the fire that began on of Monday night.
“When I arrived at the property at 10:10pm, I found paramedics attending to a man who had apparently suffered burns while trying to save a puppy. Firefighters were busy trying to put out the remaining fires and people had already gathered outside,” said Birkenfield.
“The tenant said there was a spark from the fire place. It landed on a mattress and quickly set the lounge alight. I think a gas bottle also exploded but fortunately the woman and her children are safe.”
The fire is said to have started at around 9.45pm and spread across all the rooms of the double story building. The blaze engulfed all the tenant’s valuables, except what was in the double garage, laundry room and lapa since those sections of the home are isolated from the building that burnt.
Van Rieebeck Park CPF sector one chairperson Rinaee Erasmus said they are asking for donations to assist the girls and their mother via community WhatsApp groups. Anyone wishing to donate can contact him directly on 082 758 7399.
The girls are aged six, 12 and 18 and wear shoe sizes between four and seven. The older daughters wear clothes sized 36 and 38 and their mother wears size 40 and 42.
