A frail, elderly woman suffered a painful death when fire engulfed her Acacia Street home last night in Glencoe.
Donsie Prinsloo (60) was on her bed when the fire started at around 8pm.
Neighbours, Brian and Floris Pepworth, said they first heard what sounded like two gunshots. “I rushed outside and saw the flames in Mrs Prinsloo’s house. I contacted another nearby resident, Prethie Singh, to call the fire brigade.” said.
Alixe Fraser, who lives across the road, said while the fire brigade did not ‘take too long’ when they did come it was a ‘series of tragic errors.’
“The staff did not have their gear on and got dressed in the street. Some battled to get it on. Then the hoses were full of holes and water sprayed everywhere. By this time the house was engulfed in flames. They kept looking for fire hydrants. They were running up and down. The more I told them there are no fire hydrants the more they looked, even opening a sewer manhole cover in the hope of finding one.”
Mr Pepworth said other neighbours had to assist staff to start the pump engine which kept stalling.
Mrs Prinsloo burnt to death on her bed. The fire brigade left at midnight but Mrs Fraser had to call them out again at around 4,30am this morning when the flames flared up again.
Mrs Prinsloo lived alone and her only known relative, a brother, is presently on his way to Glencoe from Jozini. Comment is awaited from the fire brigade.
Endumeni has been plagued by a spate of residential and veld fires this year.
Read here for more stories on fires:
- Man dies in shack fire
- Children left destitute after mother passes away from burns caused by shack fire
- Other fire stories
