A tragedy was narrowly averted at one of Florida’s best-known landmarks on July 8 when community members helped battle a fire that broke out at Flowers, Seeds, and Busy Bees on Lockies Street.

According to manager Amanda Khumalo, who lives next door to the nursery, she first noticed the fire shortly before 20:00.

“I was inside the house when the alarm started going off. I switched it off with the remote control, but it just went off again,” she said.

“I walked outside to see what was happening.”

Khumalo said she immediately smelled smoke, but initially thought little of it because a veld fire had been burning along the railway tracks across the road earlier that afternoon.

“Shortly after stepping off the porch, I saw flames shooting high into the air, and that’s when I realised the nursery was on fire.

“When I got to the front of the nursery, I saw the front fence had already burned away, and the fire had spread to the wooden structures where we keep our pots and potting soil.”

When Khumalo reached the entrance gate, she struggled to unlock it because of the intense heat, thick smoke and stress.

“Three men, whom I assumed were passers-by, ran in from the street and tried to help me.

“When we still couldn’t get the lock open, all three climbed over the gate and immediately got to work, grabbing buckets and scooping water from our fish pond to douse the flames.

“By then, the large pine tree in the front garden was already on fire, with the flames almost reaching the top of the tree.”

Khumalo said that within minutes the street was filled with people.

“They somehow managed to get the gate open and sprang into action, containing the fire until the fire department arrived and extinguished the flames.”

Nursery owner Thelma Botha said she was on the phone with Khumalo when she learned about the fire.

“I immediately called the fire brigade, and they were there in under 10 minutes.

“When I got to the nursery, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The smoke was so thick that you could barely see anything.

“The street was full of people. Some were directing traffic, while others filled buckets with water, poured it onto the fire and moved items out of the way to save them from the flames.

“When the fire department arrived, they immediately took control of the situation and had the fire under control within minutes.”

Although the damage was extensive, it was limited to the front fence, two wooden structures, the pine tree and the container housing indoor plants and bonsai trees.

“If it weren’t for the wonderful people, both friends and strangers, who showed up out of the blue to help, it would probably have been much worse,” said Botha.

“We are beyond blessed to have such a wonderful community. All we can do is thank our friends and neighbours for coming to our aid.”