“I watched my whole life burn to ashes.” This is how Mr Collin Arnold (56) felt on Sunday evening when his thatched roof caught fire in Alkmaar. It was caused by an electrical fault.
Around midnight he was woken up by his wife, Elaine (57), who informed him that their roof was burning. He immediately rushed down to get his two dogs and called the Nelspruit Fire Brigade. Collin, a food and beverage manager, had a function that day. “I had all the cash from the event with me, I was planning on going to the bank the next morning and also to pay my suppliers,” he explained. Unfortunately the money never made it to the bank or his suppliers. His car, tumble dryer and their cellphones are the only things that weren’t destroyed.
The couple was planning on moving to Durban at the end of the month, and their boxes had already been packed. They lost everything, nothing was insured. “The support from the public is amazing, people have donated clothes and dog food,” he said.
However, some items cannot be replaced. The SAPS were on the scene to take statements and no arson was suspected. The Arnolds are living with family at the moment and will hopefully still move to Durban.
