It was a chaotic scene at Pension Cottages in Tongaat when a fire tore through a home claiming the life of an elderly man on Friday, 24 May.
Riza Mohamed, spokesperson for the Community Emergency Rescue Team (CERT) said that, at approximately 10.30am, they received a call for assistance at the Pension Cottages in Tongaat. CERT volunteers together with emergency services were dispatched and upon arrival found a unit that had been completely burnt.
“Due to Tongaat experiencing water shortages, the residents had to wait for the fire department to arrive to extinguish the fire. One person was treated for burn injuries by paramedics before being transported to hospital for the further treatment,” said Mohamed.
He said the exact cause of the fire is unclear at this stage and will be subject to investigation. The burn victim, 59-year-old Steven Govender, suffered severe burns on his face and body, and later passed away in hospital.
The homeowner, 80-year-old Renuka Singh says she was outside when she noticed the blaze. “I was outside gardening when I noticed smoke coming through the bathroom window. I called my neighbour for help. Steven was in the bathroom, we had to get him out,” said Singh
Ken Ramsunker, one of the neighbours who came to her aid, said: “I was sitting outside when we saw the smoke rising from the window. Renuka was shouting that Steven was inside the bathroom so I rushed in to help him.”
With the ongoing water issues affecting Tongaat and the surrounding areas, residents could not access water to fight back the blaze and had to attempt rescue despite the raging inferno.
“When I first entered, I was overwhelmed by the smoke and the heat, so I had to fall back before trying to enter again. On this attempt I managed to get to the bathroom door but struggled to get it open as Steven was leaning against the door,” said Ramsunker.
Together, Ramsunker and Singh managed to pull Govender from the burning home and out into the yard before the arrival of first responders. Upon arrival, firefighters from the Tongaat Fire Department managed to beat back the flames and extinguish the blaze, however, by then all of the elderly woman’s belongings were reduced to blackened ash.
“I worked hard all my life, up until the age 78, and now everything that I have worked for is gone, even Steven is gone, all that is left to me is smoke and ashes,” said a distraught Singh.
Following the tragic incident, Generation of Radicals, a non-profit organisation led by Pastor Kevin Chetty, has come to Singh’s aid, securing her a new home at Pension Cottages, however, it remains empty as the elderly woman lost all her belongings.
“Everything that Ms Singh owned has been burned and taken away, including all that she has loved and all records of her history. Unfortunately, the elderly man has also passed on due to his severe burn wounds. To help her back onto her feet Generation of Radicals has ensured that she has a roof over her head but we need the aid of the community in ensuring that her new home is furnished,” said Pst Chetty.
Anyone wishing to contribute to this disaster relief effort can donate to the Generation of Radicals FNB cheque account: Acc no: 6254041982 with your name as a reference. For more information, contact Pastor Chetty on 083 780 7166.
