Holiday home up in flames
Debbie explained that she received a phone call from her house assistant Wackson, who lives across the road, just after 5am.
When a Ramsgate home caught alight, house assistant Wackson Mhone (55) ran and grabbed the hose pipe, but was unable to get water out of the taps with which to douse the flames.
Meanwhile, home owner Debbie Seinsch (60) sat anxiously waiting with phone in hand in Gauteng to hear if anything could have been done to save her five-bedroom retirement home.
“I told Wackson to do what he could do to save my home – kick open a window or door – and use the garden hose pipe to put out the fire,” she said.
Debbie explained that she received a phone call from her house assistant Wackson, who lives across the road, just after 5am.
“Wackson had seen smoke billowing from the house and immediately called me. Maser Security and the fire department both responded immediately,” she said.
Wackson explained that when he went to open the tap, to his horror, there was no water.
“There was no water and there was nothing I could do,” said Wackson.
Debbie believes that if there had been water the damage to her home wouldn’t have been so bad.
Ray Nkonyeni Municipal spokesman, Simon April said its fire crew was immediately dispatched and responded with three skid units, as well as a backup fire engine from Ugu District Municipality and that, upon arrival fire, the double-storey house was fully engulfed in fire.
“Firefighters used about 4 800 litres of water to dampen the flames. The allegation that firefighters battled to fight the fire as there was very little water are incorrect,” he said.
He added the cause of fire has not been determined yet.
No response had been received from Ugu before going to press.
Debbie and her husband Johan had brought their dream retirement home about a year ago.
They had planned to move to the coast next month. Now, their plans are on hold.
“We had already started to renovate and paint the interior,” she added.
When the Herald visited the following morning (Friday) there was very little was left of the once magnificent coastal home.
Debbie and her children, who travelled to the coast from Gauteng, managed to save a few items from the charred and structurally dangerous shell.
Although the cause of the fire has not been determined (Debbie is waiting for the forensic report), she believes it was a power surge caused by load shedding.
Despite the damage and drama, there was a silver lining.
“The Ramsgate community has been incredibly supportive and I am so proud to be a resident in this beautiful area. People we have never met have popped in to see if we need anything,” she said.
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