Joubert family remains positive after fire leaves them destitute

The Joubert family were devastated when they saw their house was engulfed in smoke, the worst for the family was when they found the bodies of the two lifeless cats near the closed windows, they had died due to smoke inhalation.

On Friday afternoon, July 20 the power in the Del Judor area and other areas in eMalahleni had been restored. That afternoon at approximately 14:45 a fire broke out in the flat that is attached to the main house in Dirkse Street. It is still unclear the exact cause of the fire.

The flat that was built onto the main house in Dirkse Street where the fire started on Friday, July 20.

Mr Johannes Dombe sheds a few tears after sharing his story on how he rescued the five month old baby.

Mr Martines Joubert who owns the main house was at work so was the rest of the family when the fire started.

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Ms Niquie Coetzer who lives in the flat was at home with her three year old son and her five month old baby.

Mr Johannes Dombe who has been a gardener for one of the home owners in the street for years was busy in the garden next to Joubert’s house when the fire started.

Dombe was busy pruning the trees in the garden, after finishing up with a few trees he went to the back of the house to have a drink of water.

“As I got to the back to get some water, I noticed smoke billowing out of the door, I knew something was wrong,” said Dombe.

He immediately ran around and he found Coetzer who managed to get the three year old out of the house, Dombe ran inside the house and he brought the five month old baby out.

Smoke poured out the roof of the main house in Dirkse Street on Friday, July 20.

Phillip du Plessis from Legacy Emergency Specialist placed oxygen on Cheeky the dog after he suffered from smoke inhalation.

As the flames were not so intense they managed to carry a couple of things out of the house and placed them on the grass on the opposite side of the road.

Dombe ran to the house owner where he has been working for years and asked for a fire extinguisher, he used the fire extinguisher until it was finished.

Mr Flip Opperman from South Africa Community Crime Watch (SACCW) was on the scene within minutes from the time the call came through.
Emalahleni Fire Department arrived and Legacy Emergency Specialists assisted on scene along with numerous responders from SACCW and AfriForum Buurtwag.

Niquie Coetzer who lives in the flat carrying her five month old baby out of the smoke.

Phillip du Plessis from Legacy Emergency Specialist carrying the lifeless dog that was rescued from the main house where smoke engulfed the house.

The fire moved over into the main house, where the main bedroom was damaged, the bathrooms and the TV room.

Joubert kept on saying that one of the dogs was missing. Opperman and Mr Tommie Potgieter found the dog lying near a window in the house.
They broke the window and ran with Cheeky the dog to Mr Phillip du Plessis from Legacy Emergency Specialists who put the dog on oxygen.
After a couple of minutes, his ears started to perk up and he was fine.

“We are staying at a good friends place and the insurance is busy with everything that needs to be done. Hopefully soon we will be breaking down and building again,” said Joubert.

The Coetzer family lost everything in the fire and they did not have insurance.

“They lost everything in the fire, so if anyone has anything to donate to please give it to them,” said Joubert.