Fire in Oribi Village guts three houses

The lives of three Oribi Village families will not be the same after a fire swept through a section of the settlement, gutting three houses.

Hennie van der Merwe, who has stayed in the same property for 48 years was devastated at the loss.

I was at work when I got the call that the house was on fire. I rushed straight home to find everything up in flames. I have stayed here for 48 years and now I have lost everything.
He added that he was happy that no one was hurt.

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“My kids were in the house when the fire started, I am just glad that no one was hurt in the fire.”

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Lillian Plaskicc, who is the wife of van der Merwe, could not put into words her devastation.

I cannot explain how I feel. I’m not worried about my things, I’m worried about my neighbour, who is a hard-working woman who has lost everything. I simply cannot put it into words.
She added that she was grateful to the community.

“Everybody has come together, everybody came together to put out the fire, but there was no water in Oribi. No water to put out a fire that claimed two houses, if not more.”

She called for help for the residents who had lost everything.

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“If people could come forward and help those who have lost everything, it would be extremely appreciated.

“Anything will be welcome, even the smallest donation will be greatly appreciated, especially for the people who have lost everything.”

Shawn Bontuys, a station officer at the fire department, said that they managed to save a few homes.

The first house caught alight, then the second house caught alight and then the third house, and we managed to stop it before it reached the fourth house.
Bontuys added that the fire department had trouble with water.

“We had a few snags with water in the area. There are not many fire hydrants in the area and the water pressure is also poor. Hopefully the relevant parties will be able to sort this out, so we can respond better if something like this happens again,” he said.

Bontuys added that the cause was under investigation.

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“It is alleged that a child was playing with matches that led to the fire, but the investigations are still ongoing,” he said.

Bontuys called for proper education on fire.

“We would like to ask all parents and schools to ensure that children know the dangers of fire and for them to be taught on how to deal with situations like these”.