Boys High learner awarded for rescuing family from burning home
Thomas Earle, a Pretoria Boys High learner, and his neighbour Danie Esterhuizen were recently awarded medals for bravery after saving a family from a burning building in October last year.
A Pretoria Boys High learner and a Newlands resident recently received medals of bravery during an honorary ceremony in Montana, for saving a family from a burning building.
Thomas Earle (16) and his neighbour Danie Esterhuizen put their own lives at risk to save a mother and her two daughters in October last year when they got trapped in their triple-storey home when it caught fire.
In a Pretoria Boys High statement on Friday, principal Gregary Hassenkamp explained what had transpired the night of 17 October:
“The house of Mario Steyn and his wife Marlene, situated in Newlands, Pretoria caught fire. The fire started with an unexpected strong gust of wind, causing the covered ‘Weber’ braai to overturn, breaking the window and spilling hot coals onto the chairs and curtains in the adjacent room. Within a minute or two the house was on fire.”
Hassenkamp said Marlene was trapped on the third floor of the house and the family’s two daughters, Lara (19) and Mieke (24), were on the first floor.
“With little regard for his own personal safety, Thomas scaled the wall to the first-floor balcony leading from the burning rooms,” said Hassenkamp.
“He found Mieke on the balcony in a state of extreme stress and anxiety but at least out of danger, he went into the house to look for Lara. She was trying to get to her mother who she could hear screaming for help on the third floor.”
Hassenkamp said the room was full of smoke and the heat from the flames was intense.
“Thomas could not see her in the room with all the thick smoke and started to become overwhelmed by the smoke and heat himself. Worried for Lara, he called out for her repeatedly.
“He ran out onto the balcony for air and was followed shortly afterwards by Lara who was in a very bad state. She was crying, coughing severely and struggling to breathe.”
Lara turned to go back into the burning house as her mother continued screaming for help.
“That’s when Thomas realised from what he experienced in the room, that she would simply not make it out again and was at risk of being completely overcome by the smoke and severe heat. Following her back into the house he grabbed her and pulled her out, and held her back, preventing her from going back into the house.”
At the same time of Lara and Mieke’s rescue, Esterhuizen had managed to get to the third floor to reach the girls’ mother.
“Danie was able to use a series of ladders, assisted by bystanders, endangering himself to rescue Marlene Steyn from the third floor,” said Hassenkamp.
By using ladders, placed against the wall by helpful bystanders, Thomas, Mieke and Lara also managed to climb down to safety.
“Soon after that, the room windows shattered from the intense heat and growing flames.”
Hassenkamp said: “Fortunately, Thomas suffered no lasting effects from the smoke and heat. However, Lara was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She was admitted and treated for smoke inhalation and stayed for 10 days in ICU.”
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Tshwane firefighters arrived soon after the daring rescue to extinguish the fire.
“Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found the triple-storey building on fire with a vehicle under threat of catching fire,” Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Charles Mabaso told Rekord in October last year.
The firefighters struggled for nearly two hours to extinguish the flames.
Last month, the South African First Responder Chaplaincy (SAFReC) hosted an award ceremony at the Lewende Woord Church, Montana to give praise to the two heroes who saved the family.
Thomas received the Ingonyama Medal for Bravery (Ingonyama meaning Lion) from SAFReC.
SAFReC is a non-profit charity organisation consisting of trained members of the community, who reach out and willingly serve the community wherever they can assist.
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