BREAKING: Fire sweeps through SA Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

A fire ravaged the house at the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Vischkuil, Springs, in the early hours of Friday morning.

According to Judy Davidson, CEO at the centre, she was alone in the house when she heard the dogs barking and glass breaking, followed by the the smell of smoke coming from the lounge where the fire started.

She says she made her first call to 10111 at 12.40am on Friday morning to summon help.

According to her, the fire began when a petrol bomb was thrown through the lounge window.

She says when looked out of her bedroom window she saw two men running towards her window.

Shots were fired but no one was injured and the men ran away.

Davidson was then able to escape the inferno and, suffering no injuries, began assessing the situation to check that the animals were not in danger.

Vanessa Davis, centre PRO, explains part of the house was being used by Davidson as a residence and the other part was a clinic used to handle the overflow of animals being taken care of at the centre.

“With it not being peak season the clinic was not full and there were only three dogs – a mother and two puppies that were dropped with Davidson for nursing- in the clinic.

“These three did, however, die in the blaze.”

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Davidson says when she got out of the house she saw the dog carrying something and thought the mom has managed to carry her puppies to safety.

However, she later discovered that when the dog was unable to save her puppies she lay next to them in the inferno and all three died.

Davis comments: “The fire department was called immediately but due to the remote location of the centre they were no able to get here in time to save the house.

“Thankfully Judy was not injured but she has lost everything.”

Just after 4am on Saturday morning, Davidson was again calling 10111 for help when a large group (exact number unknown) returned to loot the place.

“They had already broken into the cars, garage and workshop and a few of them tried to get into the building,” Davis says.

“A fight ensued and shots were fired but thankfully no one was shot.

“One of the attackers was found in an out-building with a head wound which may have been from a fall as he had not suffered a gunshot wound,” Davis says.

Davidson adds that the man was taken to hospital under police guard for treatment and to determine the cause of his wound.

On Saturday morning Davidson told the Addie that police had found and removed a container full of fuel which was left by the attackers and will form part of their investigation into the fire.

When contacted for comment, Capt Johannes Ramphora, Springs police spokesman says the police are currently sifting through the evidence on scene to determine the exact sequence of events and facts relating to this case.

This is a developing story and the Addie will add to it as more information becomes available.

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