Residents in Hursthill are devastated after a fire burnt down two houses next to each other on 29 May at about 11am.
City of Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said that the cause of the fire is unkown and EMS are still investigating the incident.
According to a resident next door to the house in Portland Avenue, Emelda Malgas, who was present when the fire occurred, residents suspect that the fire might have been caused by faulty and illegal wiring in the electric box situated in one of the rooms in the house.
Two children, Fanie (16) and Roxanne Panzo (12), were next door to the badly burnt house when another child, Mayrah Peacock (5), ran in screaming to warn them of the smoke that was coming from next door. “That is when we noticed the fire coming into our sitting room,” said Fanie. Malgas said that neighbours then came out in numbers to assist. They quickly tried to remove valuables from the house while they tried to call the fire department. “We called the fire department about 10 times before we eventually went through,” said Fanie.
According to Mulaudzi, the call was only received at 1.13pm and the first fire engine arrived at 1.26pm.
The residents took the rescue next door, but the house was burnt beyond recognition. The house had tenants living in three of the bedrooms. These rooms were unrecognisable after the fire. Fortunately, no one was injured.
One of the tenants in the house lost over R40 000 of home and bathroom-ware he had bought for his family back in Zimbabwe. In another room, Grace van Roi and her daughter Petunia (6) were at church when their possessions went up in flames. “We are staying with my sister-in-law and we lost everything from our furniture, clothing and my daughter’s school books and uniform,” said Van Roi. Another resident, Napoleon Nyathi is now sleeping in his car and looking for a new place to stay because he lost everything in the fire. Patrick Kgaile who has been living there for 14 years with his five-year-old daughter is now living with his mother in a backroom.
All these residents are in desperate need of any help from the community, “We will accept anything that can be donated from old furniture to clothing,” said Van Roi.
The residents said that the landlord, known only as Trevor, said that the house was insured and they do not want to get cheated out of being compensated. In spite of repeated attempts to get hold of the landlord since 30 May, he could not be reached for comment.
Details: Grace van Roi, 079 155 4088; Patrick Kgaile, 079 806 0314; Napoleon Nyathi, 082 751 5154.
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