Pretoria nurse recounts petrol-bomb attack at north supermarket
Van Vuuren, who has been a nurse since 1960, said that her nursing experience probably saved her life.
Liza van Vuuren (78) suffered second-degree burn wounds after her left leg caught fire due to the explosion while she was in the outlet.
She was taken to Life Eugene Marais hospital where she was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Van Vuuren was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday evening.
“All of a sudden my skin started crumbling,” she told Rekord of the ordeal.
Van Vuuren has been shopping at Les Marais SPAR for many years.
“I was about to enter the store when a petrol bomb was thrown next to me. My left leg caught fire and I used my shirt to smother the fire preventing it from spreading to the rest of my body. The pain was excruciating,” she said.
Van Vuuren, who has been a nurse since 1960, said her nursing experience probably saved her life.
“I keep on asking myself why this happened to me.
“It could have been much worse, but the doctors are positive in terms of my recovery,” she said.
Police spokesperson Constable Mandlakayise Zwane said that a suspect was detained last night.
“The man was taken into custody where he has been charged with arson,” he said.
As previously reported, Best Care emergency service spokesperson Xander Loubser said the petrol bomb was thrown into the Les Marais SPAR outlet, while customers and employees were inside the store.
He said that firefighters managed to extinguish the fire.
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