VIDEO: Gogo and grandchildren injured as flat catches fire after Engen explosion
The elderly woman was awake at the time of the fire, however, her two grandchildren were still asleep.
RESIDENTS on Wiest Road were left stranded after a flat caught alight. A family had to be rushed to hospital due to the injuries sustained in the fire. According to the family’s neighbours, three people were in the flat at the time of the fire. An elderly woman was awake at the time of the fire, however, her two grandchildren were still asleep.
“The one grandchild said he was awoken when he felt something hit him. They were soon rushed to hospital. About eight more people were rushed to hospital as well for smoke inhalation,” said one resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Another resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, said the flat caught alight straight after the explosion. She said they could not speculate the cause of the fire as most occupants in the flat were asleep and only the elderly woman was awake.
“Flats near-by had windows broken. There was a lot of structural damage done to the flats. All we’re asking for now is for the people to be housed because these are people who live in the block of flats that caught fire. They had to evacuate their flats from as early as 7am this morning. We also don’t know the extent of the damage the flat sustained, it might even collapse, which is why we believe it is unsafe and they cannot go back in there. This places more lives at risk,” she said.
The woman also added that their ward councillor, Aubrey Snyman, came a while after the incident to assess the damage, but he had to leave very soon. She said as residents, they were hoping that the councillor would have shown up with a representative from Engen to speak to them.
“Although we don’t have concrete proof that it might have been caused by the explosion, we want to know the cause of the fire. We would like the people from Engen to come and address the people in the community and tell us how they’re going to help us.”
“The people are now stranded on the roads without any idea where they will stay, while everybody else who experienced minor damages to their flats are now back inside. The rain also poses another threat to the stranded residents. Some of these people don’t have families close by to seek refuge with. We’re not putting our councillor down, but we believe he should have stayed longer and gave us a way forward in terms of sheltering the affected residents. The six families need to be housed. We need our councillor to return and be active in the community,” she added.
Snyman was unavailable to comment at the time of publication.
This is a developing story. Updates to follow.
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