Six-year-old seeks help as smoke bellows out of house
A six-year-old started looking for help from the neighbours as smoke bellowed out the house while her mother connected the hosepipe to extinguish the fire.
On Thursday morning, March 12 Ms Madeleen Cronjé (30) got her two daughters, six-year-old Talita and four-year-old Caytrina, ready for school.
When Cronjé arrived at school Talita got the days mixed up and as she thought it was ‘Civies’ Day’, but it was not. So Caytrina went to school, while Talita who was dressed in regular clothes had to go back home with her mother.
When Cronjé and Talita arrived home, they noticed that smoke was bellowing out of the open windows of the house.
Talita ran to call an elderly neighbour, who lives down the road, to help.
Cronjé connected the hosepipe and pushed it through the bathroom window, but at that stage there was no water.
The elderly woman brought two five-litre bottles of water, another neighbour from across the road brought a fire extinguisher and Cronjé’s next door neighbour ran inside the house with the water and fire extinguisher to put out the flames in the children’s bedroom.
Cronjé started shouting when she was inside the house, as the shock overwhelmed her of what was happening.
Antique dressing tables that used to belong to her great grandmother burnt to almost nothing.
“Everything else can be replaced, but an antique that has been in the family for so many years can’t be replaced,” said Cronjé.
Cronjé tried to save some of the children’s clothes and teddy bears.
It is still unclear what caused the fire.
Cronjé suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to Life Cosmos Hospital for treatment.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped me on that day and my little daughter. It is really appreciated,” said Cronjé.
Cronjé is the owner of Caro Nome Gymnastics Club in eMalahleni.
Video: Fire started in children’s bedroom – click here.
