An 80-year-old Springs resident has expressed frustration with emergency services following a fire that swept through his property at Homestead Blossom on June 12.

Phillip Preu claims delays and a lack of resources hindered efforts to contain the blaze.

Speaking to the Springs Advertiser, he said somebody came to inform them of a fire at the nearby park around 11:00.

“We called emergency services even before the fire reached our property. They told us they will inform the fire brigade. The second time we called, they said the fire brigade says their vehicles are not working,” Preu explained.

According to Preu, emergency services later said they would request assistance from the Daveyton Fire Station and indicated that there would be a delay in the response.

He recalled how he and his 17-year-old granddaughter used fire beaters, long aluminium poles fitted with rubber ends, to help extinguish the blaze.

They were joined by Preu’s brother, two workers and four members of the Hopeville Church.

“The people from Hopeville saw what was happening and came to help. They worked to extinguish the fire on one side while we tackled it from the other. The wind made it worse, and the heat was too much, so the fire just kept spreading,” he said.

Fortunately, Preu’s cattle had already fled to the other side of the property when the fire started spreading. He was able to get them to a secure shelter.

“After a few hours, the fire brigade arrived, but they had no water. I told them to use a nearby fire hydrant to refill their tank.

“After filling up, they realised they did not have enough petrol to operate the pump that sprays the water,” he claimed.

“They left and said they would get petrol and come back. They were gone for at least 30 minutes, and when they returned, the fire was out,” Preu said.

ALSO READ: Springs Gold Rotary Club steps in to improve conditions at Presidentia

Preu expressed deep frustration and disappointment in the emergency service for their lack of urgency and resources.

“How is it possible that our local fire department’s vehicles weren’t working? What happens if one of these houses catches fire?” he said.

He also spoke about the impact the fire has had on their business.

“This was our winter grazing. We have to buy grass and lucerne to feed the animals. Nothing is cheap these days.

“The fire also burned the fences and wooden poles. We can’t use steel poles because they get stolen, so we rely on wooden ones, which are easily damaged when a fire occurs,” Preu said.

An enquiry to Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services yielded no response at the time of publication.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Motorists raise alarm over deteriorating Springs West Road intersection