A fire that tore through a building on Fulham Road in Brixton on the afternoon of September 29 has left a family devastated. Their home was gutted, and all their belongings reduced to ash.

Read more: Fire contained on Fulham Road

The blaze, which erupted near St Nicholas Orthodox Church, destroyed one unit and damaged another. Joburg Emergency Medical Services (EMS) firefighter Wessel Molale said crews arrived to find the fire still raging.

“One single room was mostly affected. The fire spread to the other room,” he said. “We went in with our hoses and water and managed to put it out within three minutes.”

Before firefighters reached the scene, nearby residents rushed into the smoke-filled building with buckets of water in a desperate attempt to contain the flames. Their quick action helped slow the spread, but many suffered from smoke inhalation and had to be treated by Gauteng EMS.

Also read: Fire engulfs Eeufees Oord Old Age home

For Tanatswa Marimbe and her husband, whose unit was gutted in the blaze, the loss is overwhelming. “We lost everything – our passports, car papers, fridge, stove, microwave, TV, speaker, beds, clothes, plates, pots, and blankets. Even the money we had in the house is gone,” she said.

The couple, who had lived in the building for just over a year, said they were now left with nothing. “We are stressed, always crying, even at work, and we cannot focus. We don’t have food, clothes, or a place to sleep,” Marimbe added.

Those who wish to help the Marimbe family can contact Tanatswa at 061 925 0546.

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