Albeit small, Barberton has a fire department, insists municipality
The City of Mbombela recently confirmed Barberton has been allocated an fire officer deployed in the area, and that residents should call him to report any fires.
Following an incident in which Christine de Bruyn lost her life when her home was engulfed in flames, the City of Mbombela (CoM) clarified some details.
At the time of the incident, which occurred on August 22, Lowvelder reported that Barberton did not have a fire department, which, following questions sent to CoM, the municipality said was not the case. Although the town does not have a department of the same size as Mbombela, an officer, assisted by two other members, is deployed in Barberton to deal with fire-related matters, and the public is urged to contact him should a fire break out.
The municipal control room in Barberton can be reached on 013 712 2121, 013 712 2222 or 013 712 8800. These numbers must be dialled for the fire department, traffic, disaster management, etc.
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The CoM said in its response, “The southern region has been allocated an officer deployed in the area.”
When the fire was reported, he had responded to the scene. It further said the incident happened at about 06:00 and that it was reported at 06:45, after which the officer responded accordingly.
“By that time, the four-bedroom house was fully engulfed in the fire. About 90% of the home was destroyed. The Nelspruit Fire Department also responded and assisted.”
The municipality said the woman’s death was not a result of the waiting time for the team from Mbombela to arrive at the scene. This was the officer who responded to the scene’s observation.
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“The plan henceforth is to request funding for unfunded vacant positions for the southern region and to begin with recruitment processes with speed, while at the same time expediting to have a medium pump (fire engine). In the meantime, our fire officer is permanently deployed at Barberton and most of the fire incidents are attended to by him and two volunteers from traffic technical. This team was on scene during that day and the officer was the one who entered the house while onlookers were outside.”
Other responders to the scene included Hi-Tech Barberton, Makhonjwa Auxiliary Emergency Service, a Barberton Mines team, and others.
De Bruyn’s sister, June, said she was grateful to the different people who had tried to save her sister’s life, but that they feel that if the town had a fire department with all the right equipment, they might have been able to save her life.
“We trust her death was not in vain and that they will do something so another person does not have to die such a gruesome death.”
This is a developing story.
