Gerda van den Heever put her recently acquired fire safety training to good use when her house at 18 Albach Street caught fire on August 11 – just a week after receiving the training.

Van den Heever works at Marietjie School, where the personnel recently received fire safety training from the Govan Mbeki Fire Department.

She applied her skills when a fire broke out in one of the three bedrooms in her home. Van den Heever was getting ready to leave her house for a doctor’s appointment when she heard a loud crash.

Her first thought was that her son might have driven his vehicle into hers in the driveway. When she could not see anything, she turned to the hallway and saw smoke.

“If I looked back, I can see God’s hands at work weeks before this happened,” said Van den Heever.

Switching off the main electric supply, removing gas bottles, handling a fire extinguisher, keeping windows and doors closed, and applying water from a hosepipe was what Van den Heever was doing until the fire services arrived.

Neighbours and their workers also came to assist with hoses and extinguishers.

“I tried to call the fire department, and at the same time, pushed the alarm panic button a few times,” said Van den Heever.

She then called her colleague and friend Rika Mullineux, who also did the training, for help.

“I then called my husband, Niel, and stayed on the line with him. I ran outside, put the hosepipe on, wet myself, and went inside with the hose. I used my jacket to cover my face.

“My nose got burned from the heat of the zip. I tried to spray as much as I could, but the heat and smoke was too much,” said Van den Heever.

She remembers becoming disoriented and not knowing which direction to go.

“I could hear the flames, but did not know where I was. I had to feel my way around to get out of the house. This is when I decided I had to think about my safety. I went outside and closed the door,” said Van den Heever.

She said people wanted to break the windows, but she had to stop them, because according to what she had learnt, oxygen makes the fire worse.

“When the bedroom window burst, I got hold of the hosepipe, which began to melt, and sprayed it with water. Someone brought a fire extinguisher, which helped, but then the powder ran out,” said Van den Heever.

She said in training, they also learnt how to handle and do regular checks on fire extinguishers.

Jelane Security, which also provides firefighting services, was first on-scene, helping to extinguish the fire until GMM’s fire department arrived.
Van den Heever was treated for smoke inhalation and is thankful the family pets were unharmed.

There is a lot of fire damage and decades of sentimental belongings either burnt, melted, or damaged by the smoke. Most of the wall paint has melted, and the ceilings and roof have severe damage.

Although some belongings can be salvaged, Van den Heever’s sewing and craft room took the brunt. The amount of damage and the cause of the fire are still to be determined.

Neighbours rallied to assist the Van Heerdens. Janey Pretorius offered her flat for the couple to stay in.

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The Van Heerdens thanked everyone who has helped them, including Pretorius for opening her home, Marietjie School personnel, family, and friends, for all their love and support.

“Alf Byleveldt saved my house, and Douw Botha saved my life with the training I received. This has changed my life. I may have lost a roof and part of my house, but I gained a community and school family,” said Van den Heever.

She suggests to homeowners that they let the electrical wiring of their house be checked at least once every three years. Van den Heever encourages schools, churches, and neighbourhood communities to do a group fire training session.

“Get the training and do the steps you can to extinguish the fire. Save yourself. Don’t try to save anything and put yourself in danger,” she concluded.

This is what you have to do:
• Know how to safely operate a fire extinguisher and have one in different locations in your house.
• Switch off the main power supply.
• Stay calm and get out. Take pets with you if you can.
• Call your local fire department and/or emergency response team.
• Close doors and windows immediately.
• Have a primary escape route.
• Never open doors that are warm to the touch.
• If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit.
• Close doors behind you.
• If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed.
• Place a wet towel under the door and call for help, open a window and wave a brightly coloured cloth or flashlight to signal for help.
• Once you are outside, do not go back in. Go to the safe assembly area.
• Have an emergency communication plan with your family.
• Install smoke detectors in your house.
• Have your power tested regularly by a qualified electrician.
• Do not store gas cylinders in your house, but outside in a locked, ventilated cage.
• Remember to stay calm.

Fire-fighting service contact numbers
* Emergency number 112
* GMM Fire Department 072 267 6379 or 017 631 0155/107
* Jelane Security (fire-fighting services) 082 626 2217
* Protect O Burn 017 631 2626
* Sasol EMS Fire Fight Services 017 610 4444/2444.

It is also advised to reach out to local security companies and join neighbourhood groups where alerts can also be sent.