House in Kosmospark goes up in flames, fire brigade does not arrive
The couple are staying with a friend in the meanwhile and the lounge of the flat paid testimony to a television that survived the blaze.
A fire in the early morning of Wednesday, 2 October caused raging havoc and nearly destroyed a home in Esdoorn Street, Kosmospark.
When the Standerton Advertiser arrived at 7.45am, smoke was billowing from the roof and on closer inspection, part of the ceiling in the lounge just fell in.
Some of the furniture were outside after neighbours tried to rescue the property of Mr Maxwell John Visagie and Ms Lerato Mkhabela.
Mr Visagie, who bought the house 27 years ago, only ruefully commented:
“Where am I going to now?”
According to him, he woke up at about 7am in a haze of smoke and realised the cushions were burning.
He immediately went to wake up Mr Johannes Kleopas, who stayed in the room outside, and with the help of neighbours they tried to extinguish the fire with a hosepipe.
Standerton Fire Brigade was contacted, but did not arrive.
Standerton Police, Jeria Ambulance Services, AfriForum, Lekwa Fire Protection Association and onlookers were on the scene.
When speaking to Mr Visagie on Friday, 4 October, he said his insurance company had been contacted and they will get back to him.
The couple are staying with a friend in the meanwhile and the lounge of the flat paid testimony to a television that survived the blaze.
“All Lerato’s clothes have burnt, but I have clothes that remained in the washing machine,” Mr Visagie said.
The reason for the fire could not be established.
The newspaper sent a WhatsApp-message to the communications manager of the Lekwa Municipality, Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, on Thursday, 3 October, asking her to shed some light on the fire brigade’s absence.
An enquiry was also made as to the current position as regards fire trucks.
The Standerton Advertiser published the views of Mr John Kock, Chief Fire Officer, as well as those of Mr Louis Kotze of the Lekwa Fire Association, to highlight their differences in its 17 August edition.
Ms Mtshiselwa then indicated the following:
• the fire brigade has limited resources at their disposal
• vehicles are old and the municipality is busy with procurement of vehicles
• a request was made to the Gert Sibande District Municipality for material needed
• fire equipment has been prioritised for the new financial year and
• the municipality is waiting for assistance from the National Disaster Management Framework.
Mr Visagie preferred that no photo be taken of him, saying his lawyer advised him as such.
Ms Mtshiselwa replied on Monday, 7 October that the municipality has instituted an investigation into the whole matter.
