Although Turffontein fire fighters responded within minutes of the urgent call by staff, who said they were alerted to the dangerous fire by a black wave of smoke in the sky, it was already too late to save the Dromedaris, which once was the main attraction at the fun park.
One of the brave fire fighters was heard saying: “As I pulled up to the parking lot, I could feel the heat all the way outside the park. That is how big the fire was.”
People walking by could not contain their curiosity, gathering by the fence that encloses the park, as the fire furiously gutted the ship Dromedaris, which children visiting Santarama Miniland and Kidz Kazoo, used to enjoy.
No children or parents were at the park when the flames, suspected to have been caused by hot weekend temperatures, sparked the dry grass and foliage surrounding the area.
The fire department has had to put out an alarming number of veld fires in residential areas including Kibler Park and Mondeor since the beginning of the winter months. However, it’s revealed by an officer that as many as three fires a day are being reported in the south especially by the homes located behind the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve.
The residents who contribute to the veld fires are those who have the Nature Reserve at the back of their homes and have wooden fences. Residents from the Mondeor area have been named as the number one culprits of opting for wooden palisades.
It’s understood they have been advised to cut the long grass at least a half-metre from their fences, which would make a great difference in protecting their homes from the fires spreading to their yards.
