North family picks up the pieces after home ravaged by fiery blaze
“Now we had to run outside to save ourselves because the car was already on fire and we didn’t know it was going to explode or not.”
A family from The Orchards, in Akasia, was in the painful process of rebuilding what used to be their home after it was ravaged by an early morning blaze last week.
Homeowner Thandi Nemugumoni said the family had to start everything from scratch, “even life itself because we wake up every morning with nothing”.
Despite their home burning down in the blaze, the family of four and their helper were able to escape unharmed.
“It’s not easy, but we just thank God that we survived… It shows there’s hope,” she said.
Nemugumoni said it was their helper who alerted the family of the blaze.
“It was our nanny who realised there was a fire in the garage,” she said, adding that they thought it was a “small thing” when she screamed that the garage was ablaze.
“We were confused over what fire she was talking about and by the time we started to react, the fire had become too big,” Nemugumoni said.
“We had to run outside to save ourselves because the car was already on fire and we didn’t know if it was going to explode or not.”
The family members escaped only with the pyjamas they had on.
They have already started the process of salvaging the building materials they could from what remained of their home of 11 years.
Nemugumoni said the past week had not been easy on her, her husband and their children.
“It hasn’t been easy because everything crumbled in a day, but we are grateful to the community,” she said.
Within hours of news about the blaze at their home going viral on social media platforms, members of the community and other organisations rallied to collect clothes, food and money to assist the displaced family.
“We thank God for the community because their donations have been very helpful. They have been bringing clothes, food and some are also bringing money here and there,” she said.
Tshwane emergency service department spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the cause of the fie remained “undetermined”, even after a probe.
He said they received a call alerting them of the blaze at the seven-room house with a double garage at 06:55.
“The family reported that the fire seemed to have started at the side of the garage, but they were not sure what could have been the cause,” Mabaso said.
He said that a vehicle that appeared to have been being panel-beaten was also burnt in the garage during the blaze.
Meanwhile, Sinoville Firefighters’ Association’s Zenobia Loock du Plessis advised homeowners to have a fire extinguisher at home.
In July, a family in Wonderboom prevented a fire at their house when they quickly doused the flames which had started in their fireplace using a fire extinguisher they kept.
“It is also important to have fire extinguishers regularly taken for a service to ensure that it works when you need it,” she said.
Loock du Plessis said it was common for “a lot” of fires at home to start in storage spaces like garages.
Electrical faults were also a common cause.
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“Often people keep flammable materials such as spirits, pool chemicals and paints stored in their garages.
“There are a few chemicals you do not want to spill and get mixed as it can produce a reaction that could cause fires. And in the event of a fire, these flammable chemicals can make it a lot worse.”
Loock du Plessis also suggested that people should remove car batteries instead of keeping them in the garage for long periods.
This, she said, was due to concern for flammable gasses.
According to Arrive Alive, hydrogen and oxygen are produced as a part of the operation of the battery. These gases produce an explosive mixture within the battery and escape through the vents.
Hydrogen and oxygen gases are both evolved during battery recharging. These gases may also be emitted at other times, for example, if the battery is moved or shaken.
It ignites easily and can cause a fire or explosion if allowed to accumulate in a small area.
Non-exhaustive fire prevention measures offered by the metro’s emergency service department included:
– Switching off all electrical appliances during power failures.
– Switching off the stove after cooking.
– Placing gas appliances away from heating agents, stoves, heaters and other flammable agents.
– Keeping a bucket of water handy to extinguish small fires and one of sand to extinguish paraffin fires.
– Ensuring there is enough ventilation when cooking on an open flame inside a dwelling.
– Ensuring gas cylinders were in good condition and tested regularly for leaks, which could cause a fire or explosion.
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