Family loses all possessions in fire
A fire razed another house in Extension 5 KwaGuqa recently.
The Mthethwa family is still surprised by a fire that burned down their house.
They were alerted by neighbours who saw smoke coming out of the windows while a family member was sitting outside the house. The house burned on Saturday, June 21at about 14:30 and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
The family suspects that the fire started from a plug in the sitting room where they had connected electrical appliances like the television and DVD.
A child was sleeping in one of the rooms when the fire started, and Ms Catherine Mthethwa had to break a window to put a hosepipe through to rescue the child.
The family stated that fire fighters were called but did not come; only neighbours helped to put out the fire.
“The fire was very strong and we lost everything that was in the rooms that burned. It is still a mystery what started the fire as electricity was off. It came back and the fire started thereafter,” they said.
Sofas, a television, wall pictures, curtains, DVD, amplifier, floor mats, Playstation, windows, ceiling, doors, clothes, children’s books, school uniform, roof, a cell phone and other items all burned in the fire. The family must put up a new roof as well. The value of the lost items is estimated to run to thousands of Rands.
The garage was used as an office and landline cables were also destroyed.
Ms Mthethwa injured her arm when breaking the window and will need treatment.
