This according to Melrose North resident Elsa Kruger who watched as her neighbour’s house burnt down before the fire department arrived on the scene.
“I was woken up after midnight on Saturday evening by our dog barking as smoke filled our house,” said Kruger.
She then noticed that her neighbour’s thatch roofed house situated on Westwood Avenue was on fire.
“The house burnt down within two hours. Fortunately, nobody was home as the owners, along with their pets, were away in Magaliesburg for the weekend,” she added.
“Fire trucks arrived more than an hour after they were called by which time it was too late to save anything.”
Kruger said she noted that fire services from Balfour Park, Rosebank and Roosevelt Park all eventually arrived on the scene, but she was convinced that this was no earlier than an hour after she had called them.
Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson, Robert Mulaudsi, had not responded at the time of going to print.
