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Reaction officer risks life and limb to save family
A Barberton Hi-Tech reaction officer risked life and limb to prevent a burning gas cylinder from exploding in Avril van Dyk's home yesterday morning.
According to Van Dyk, the incident occurred at approximately 09:00, following a power outage an hour before.
“Just before 09:00 I decided to prepare porridge for my 82-year-old mom and I,” she said.
Van Dyk proceeded to collect a gas cylinder she had purchased and placed it on the kitchen counter.
“I used a Bic firelighter to light the gas cylinder, but it caught fire.” In a panic, she tried dousing the flames with water, but her efforts were in vain.
“By this time, the cylinder was hissing and the flames were growing,” Van Dyk added. She contacted Hi-Tech Security which deployed 13-year veteran reaction officer, Sunday Mtimba.
On his arrival at the residence, Mtimba realised that the gas cylinder could explode, endangering the lives of Van Dyk and her mother.
“I asked for a blanket that I intended to wet before handling the burning bottle, but I had to act quickly to avoid disaster. “I grabbed it with the blanket and knew I had to get it outside,” he said.
The quick-thinking Mtimba picked up the gas cylinder, dropped it halfway along the passage, picked it up again and hurled it out of the house.
“I acted instinctively and out of fear that it would explode and the entire home would be engulfed in flames,” he added.
Mtimba sustained second-degree burns to his hands, which he said was a small price to pay knowing that Van Dyk and her mom were safe.
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“There was no time to think, even though I was afraid. My instincts just kicked in to save their lives,” he said.
Van Dyk was full of praise for the heroic Mtimba.
“He placed our lives before his own. That is a very rare phenomenon these days.
“Without his quick thinking, we might have been telling a different story.”
Mtimba has since been booked off work and Van Dyk plans to thank him in person for what she described as “a selfless act”.
“In my eyes, his actions make him a hero. He deserves to be honoured for risking his life to save ours.
“We plan to thank him on his return to work. “
