Fire at Parktown North flats
A caretaker's flat caught alight while he was out of town.
PARKTOWN NORTH – A caretaker’s living quarters on the roof of Beechurst flats near 3rd Avenue went up in flames on Saturday afternoon.
The cause of the fire, which was quickly brought under control by firefighters, was unknown.
Building manager Gillian Dawson said a domestic worker first noticed something out of place when smoke escaped through a bathtub plug hole in an flat below the caretaker’s.
“The flats on that side of the building share the same wastewater pipes. The smoke travelled down the pipes and through plug holes. The domestic worker alerted her employer, and a call was made to the fire department,” she said.
Resident Juanette Ludick claimed call to the fire department was made at approximately 2.26pm. However, the first fire engine only arrived at about 2.53pm.
“The fire did not appear to have spread to other flats. I don’t know what could have caused it, as the caretaker had gone away for the weekend,” she said.
