FIRE AT COUNCILLOR’S HOME LEAVES E45 000 DAMAGE

PIGG’S PEAK – Fire and water don’t mix.  Pigg’s Peak Councillor Thembi Ngcamphalala was awoken by the sound of a strong wind and breaking glass but little did she know that this was due to a huge fire next to her bedroom.

This happened yesterday morning at around 1am.
Ngcamphalala, who is also the former chairperson of Pigg’s Peak, said the fire caused damage valued at least E45 000.
Damaged items include beds, catering and salon equipment, as well as other items.

Most of the structure and the items were reduced to ashes due to the intensity of the fire.
When Fire and Emergency Services personnel arrived, the fire had already reduced the structure to ashes.

Wind

Ngcamphalala said she initially thought it was just the sound of the wind yet it was actually the fire burning down the storeroom.
She said upon checking this through a bathroom window, she noticed flames and realised that the storeroom was on fire.
“I then heard the sound of glass breaking,” she said.

Ngcamphalala said at the time, she was shocked and called her niece who also lives in the same town.
“We then called the Fire and Emergency Services,” said Ngcamphalala.
The burnt storeroom was situated next to the main house as well as a girls’ hostel.

She also said the main house was not badly affected other than that it developed cracks in the walls and windows due to the heat.
The girls’ hostel, which houses pupils at the homestead, was also affected. There were no pupils in the hostel since schools are closed.
However, a water tank used for the hostel was completely burnt.

Asked about what could have started the fire, Ngcamphalala said she did not know.
She said there were no items that could have caused the fire to start.

She did not rule out the possibility that maybe it could have been started by someone either accidentally or intentionally.
Ngcamphalala then revealed that she was informed by emergency personnel that the fire moved very quickly like there was a flammable substance fueling it.

Raining

This is despite that it was rainingwhen the house was burnt.
She further revealed that it was not the first time she had been affected by a fire. Ngcamphalala recalled how previously, a nearby avocado tree was burnt adding that there was no explanation for the fire.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: