A devastating fire destroyed a family home on Kristan Street in Doornpoort, North of Pretoria on Thursday, November 7.

Tshwane Emergency Services Spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni said no injuries were reported.

He said on arrival, firefighters found that a three-room house and a double garage had already burned down.

“Resources from Rosslyn Fire Station and Themba Fire Station were on scene and assisted with firefighting operations.”

He added that the cause of the fire has not been determined.

The Sinoville Firefighters Association (SFFA) members helped to extinguish the blaze.

Johan Botha, the founder of the SFFA, praised the team’s swift, courageous response, saying, “We could stick out our chests with pride. I want to thank each member who was on the scene for their professional and swift actions.”

He said the blaze, which ignited around 16:00, engulfed the property’s garage and spread to two adjacent rooms.

Botha recounted the timeline, from his first alert to the challenging firefight that ensued.

“At 15:55, I was sitting quietly in my office when the call came in. By 15:58, I was out with “Josh”, the truck that was named after the person who donated it to SFFA.

We arrived on scene by 16:04, with hoses rolling out and flames already raging,” he said.

He explained how his team quickly established a water source, using every resource available to contain the blaze.

“Two of the firefighters, suited in bunker gear, began extinguishing the fire while Botha managed the pump. As the fire intensified, we located a hydrant but had to reverse and refill before tackling the flames again,” he shared.

Botha said onlookers who wanted to help were advised to rather join and attend firefighting courses as “the scene was dangerous and the public [have] no idea of all the dangers.”

“While people captured images of the fire, the structure’s garage roof collapsed, followed by a powerful explosion, believed to be from a small gas cylinder.”

He said thankfully, that their firefighters are well-trained and kept an eye out for danger.

“The guys were safe, even with multiple roof collapses behind the garage,” Botha said.

He said once the Rosslyn Fire Department arrived and after a brief handover, they commended the SFFA team for their efforts.

“If it weren’t for the SFFA, the garage and house would have burned down completely. We worked like a well-oiled machine, the SFFA firefighters are well-trained and knew exactly what to do,” Botha said.

Botha expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped and those who were willing to help.

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