Arson suspected at track fire – owner
It was truly a blue Monday for the owners of the 4x4 track on the Silicon road, when their track marker tyres and buildings caught fire.
POLOKWANE – It was truly a blue Monday for the owners of the 4×4 track on the Silicon road, when their track marker tyres and buildings caught fire.
The city’s firefighters battled the fire from 10:00 to 15:00 after they were called out by a concerned motorist.
Firefighters on the scene, who wanted to remain anonymous, said it was not clear where the fire originated from, but that they suspected it was a veld fire that set the track marker tyres alight.
They worked very quickly to remove as many tyres as possible, to prevent the fire from spreading and raging out of control.
Co-owner of the 4×4 track, Martin Groenewald, said he could not estimate the extent of the damage yet.
He said the biggest damage was to the track and some of the buildings.
“The storeroom and bathrooms were completely destroyed. The only building that remains is a small part of the kitchen area.”
He said he was grateful that nobody was injured in the fire.
“My biggest worry is to have the track ready for our next 4×4 event in July.”
He however believed the fire was no ordinary veld fire and blamed the people who live on the municipal dumping site. This site is near the track.
“I’ve had a lot of trouble with these people, because they simply refuse to stay off my property.
“I tried to pack some tyres in such a way that it would keep them off the track. Those were the first tyres that caught fire and burned,” he explained.
Groenewald claimed the people who lived at the dump previously raided his buildings and stole anything they could sell.
He said he did not open an arson case with the police, because he believed it was impossible for anybody for find those responsible for the fire.
Municipal spokesperson, Malesela Maubane, said nobody was allowed to stay on the dumping site and that people are only allowed to enter the premises to collect things that they can possibly sell for food or money.
“It is almost an impossible task to keep people from the dumping site and that is why the municipality decided to let people enter and then leave again in an effort to prevent them from sleeping on the property and becoming a nuisance,” he said.
