Man saved from fire at recycling business in Terenure
Police confirmed that the owner of the business did not open a case with the police
A veld fire in Terenure has burned down a recycling business after it had spread onto its premises on Sunday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses the veld fire on Keir Avenue was started by three men who were seen standing at the open field.
Jacob Theron, owner of the business, said he received a phone call from someone informing him his property was on fire. The business is on the same premises as Westside Primary School, which luckily did not catch fire.
Unfortunately the business was not so lucky.
“I lost everything in the fire, including my bakkie and two trailers, which were loaded with work equipment, including two lawnmowers worth about R8 000 each, two bush cutters and six Weed Eaters,” Theron said.
Witnesses said a man who was asleep in a shack on the property was saved from the fire, although Theron denied there being a shack on his property.
An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, said he went in to rescue the man who was sleeping inside the shack.
“We just heard someone shouting that there was someone inside the yard. I jumped over the fence, woke him up and helped him get over the wall and out of the yard,” the man said.
Kids who were playing in the street at the time said they saw “three men start the fire”.
According to the children, the blaze from the open veld spread into the yard, where the tyres of the bakkie and trailers caught fire first and then the bakkie.
George McGeer, shift manager at Kempton Fire Department, confirmed they arrived on the scene at about 4.10pm.
W/O Neldah Sekgobela, speaking on behalf of Norkem Park SAPS, said Theron chose not to open a case with the police.
“But the officers on duty will record the incident into the occurance book and report that the incident did take place, even though a case was not opened,” Sekgobela confirmed.
