Candle cause of fire in Bassonia

BASSONIA –  A resident who lives in a town house complex in Rooigrass Street, Bassonia, said she had lit candles so she could see.

“Upstairs in one of the bedrooms a curtain must have blown into the candle flame and a fire began,” Nelly Perman said. Neighbours of Nelly, Hilton and Katherine Viviers were at home  when they noticed Nelly outside her house panicking.

“We had smelt burning and when we saw her we realised there must be a fire in her unit and ran to help her. The fire was on the second floor of the townhouse in the bedroom and smoke was bellowing out of the window. Nelly said she had already phoned the fire brigade.

“Trying to get to the second floor was impossible as the smoke was thick and flames had already started burning the ceiling. We decided to go outside and break windows to try and let the flames escape. Hilton and other neighbours began extinguishing the fire with garden hoses but at this stage it seemed as if all three bedrooms were alight,” said Katherine.

With assistance from other neighbours they managed to get a ladder, a fire extinguisher and more hoses to put the flames out. When the fire brigade arrived the fire was already out and firemen went into the house with oxygen masks to assess the damage.

“The fire brigade took their time to arrive but thankfully my neighbours were wonderful and managed to put out the fire,” said a relieved Nelly.