MEYERTON – A woman narrowly escaped death this morning when her vehicle suddenly caught fire at the corner of Jim Fouché and Donald Road in Riversdal.

The incident happened just before 08:00. At the scene, Midvaal Fire and Rescue had already extinguished the flames engulfing an Opel Corsa bakkie.

Owner of the vehicle, Angie Bender, was found at the scene – dressed in a gown, visibly shaken but unharmed. She explained that she had just dropped off her children at school when she saw smoke and realised her vehicle was on fire.

Panicking when she couldn’t open her door, a man on a bicycle noticed she was in distress and immediately came to her aid, managing to open the door from the outside.

Thanks to the quick actions of the unidentified cyclist, Bender escaped just in time before the flames consumed her vehicle.

Firefighters arrived shortly afterwards and swiftly brought the fire under control, but the vehicle suffered extensive damage.

Bender says she is grateful to be alive and believes she owes her life to the man who helped her.

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. Authorities are investigating. No injuries were reported.