Devastating fire renders North family homeless
Fortunately, no family members were home at the time of the fire, and even their dogs made it out unharmed.
In a matter of minutes on May 5, the place Sylvia Delarosa and her family had called home for nearly three years was reduced to ashes.
The fire that tore through their house on Veldkornet Ross Street in Pretoria North left nothing but charred remains and unimaginable loss.
The family of six, three adults and three children, had just settled into what felt like a stable life.
But that was shattered when Delarosa received a phone call at work, informing her that her house was on fire.
“All I can remember is that we closed up and drove as fast as we could.
“All I thought of was, we’ve lost everything. But I also felt such a mix of emotions: fear, shock, and relief that no one was hurt,” she said.
Fortunately, no family member was home at the time, and the dogs made it out unharmed.
Delarosa said, despite the relief that lives were spared, the aftermath has been crushing.
“We lost everything from furniture, clothes, food, beds, even our children’s school things. It’s hard to explain what kind of loss this feels like,” she said.
The family is currently living with Delarosa’s in-laws while trying to regain some form of normalcy, but starting over is not easy.
“We are coping little by little. The hardest part is looking at the kids and not being able to give them their home back.
“They are okay for now, but they keep asking when we will have a new house.”
Delarosa described the emotional toll as overwhelming.
Despite the trauma, she finds strength in her faith.
“My only message is that no matter what happens in your life, never lose hope in God. He’s with you, even in your darkest moments.
“I just want things to go back to normal. I want my children to have their space again, to feel secure.”
Ward 2 councillor Quentin Meyer said the tragedy was heartbreaking, and community members must come together to support the Delarosa family.
“The home was destroyed by fire, and the family has lost everything. We are asking for the support of the community.
“If you have anything extra at home, it can be clothes, bedding, utensils, food, toiletries, furniture – anything usable, please bring it to House Judea in Bakenkloof Street.
“Let’s show what it means to be a caring community. Let’s stand together and help this family rebuild,” said Meyer.
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