Mother saves 10-day-old baby from fire
BLAIRGOWRIE – Bekezela Mazana shares her story of bravery after she saved her 10-day-old baby son from a bed that was on fire.
A Blairgowrie mother shared her heroic recount of how she saved the life of her 10 day-old baby after the bed he was lying on, caught alight.
The evening of 10 July started off no different from any other night for Bekezela Mazana, a domestic and mother to baby Quinton. After she fed and soothed her son to sleep she wanted to take a quick shower before his night routine began.
Wrapped in his blankets, Quinton was safe while his mother went to take her nightly shower. “I usually take my time in the shower, but on this occasion, something said not to,” explained Mazana.
As she listened to hear if her baby was okay she heard the TV, which she had left on, was off. Mazana ran out of the shower to check what was wrong and she saw that the bed Quinton lay on had caught alight. The fire originated from an overloaded plug behind her bed.
With no time to panic, Mazana acted quickly as her child’s life was in danger. “When I saw the bed in flames I knew I had to think fast as the fire was not too far from where his head lay,” she said.
She took Quinton, who was still wrapped in his blankets, outside to a safe corner then rushed back into her home. “When I came back into the house, I [got] water from the shower using a bucket.” She drenched the pillows that had caught fire with water and proceeded to move them outside to an isolated location. Mazana’s screams alerted her neighbours of her anguish.
With her last run into the house, she speedily lifted the mattress and the base to put the remainder of the fire out. “I just suffered a minor burn on my hand but it is healing now.”
By the time the flames were extinguished her neighbours, along with a private security company, came to check on them. Mazana and her baby were then taken to the hospital for observation where they were both declared in good health. Mazana said she was happy her son was safe as she lost most of her material possessions in the fire.
ALSO READ: Two injured in Blairgowrie shop fire
If you would like to donate to Mazana and Quinton you can contact Warrick Kernes on, warrick@actiongear.co.za
