A 51-year-old woman, Charmaine Pillay, is recovering from her injuries after sustaining facial burns when a heating element allegedly fell onto a piece of clothing and caught fire while she was warming up water at her home in Parkvale on Thursday, 11 July.
Speaking on behalf of his sister, Javon Devnarain who was in the house at the time of the incident, said that it was a traumatic ordeal and that Pillay is recovering well, but that they cannot go back home, as yet, as the house was extensively damaged.
He said: “My brother, sister and I live in the house, and due to the extent of the fire damage, the walls are about to collapse. Everything in my sister’s room was reduced to ashes, from her clothes to her bed and furniture. The roof is destroyed, and there is no way for us to get in the house. My sister sustained minor burns to her face, she will recover soon.”
Devnarain added that the costs to rebuild the home are extremely high and that they are hoping for a helping hand from the community. Among the first responders to the incidents was KZN VIP and their spokesperson, Gareth Naidoo, said their emergency teams responded to the scene after receiving multiple calls for help from residents in the area.
He said upon arrival, they found neighbours and community members attempting to extinguish the fire. “The eThekwini Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and KZN VIP medics were requested for a woman who had sustained facial burns. Response from the fire department and medics were swift, the fire was extinguished before spreading to neighbouring homes. The woman was stabilised at the scene before being transported to the hospital for further medical attention,” said Naidoo.
This is a second incident in two weeks, since the start of July, that has left two separate Phoenix families destitute after their homes went up in flames. On Saturday, 6 July, a
A gas stove explosion is suspected to have been the cause of the devastating fire that left a pensioner, his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren homeless when their Reedhaven family of five, three adults and two children, were forced to flee their home after the Foresthaven flat caught alight that evening.
The blaze, which consumed everything in its path, including all their belongings and crucial documents, spared only a cherished photo of their late mother. Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, the eThekwini Fire Department station commander, Matlotlo Mary Bobore, said some of the common causes of house fires are cooking accidents, extension cord and power trips, candles, indoor smoking, and Christmas trees left on.
She said: “More than 40% of house fires begin in the kitchen or the cooking area. Walking away while food is still cooking and leaving it unattended, is the leading cause of house fires. The overuse or misuse of extension cords is the main culprit. In many situations, it’s a case of an appliance that heats or cools being plugged into extension cords or power strips, rather than directly into a wall outlet. Each year, candle fires account for hundreds of thousands of rands in property damage and hundreds of unnecessary injuries and deaths. To help prevent a smoking accident from causing a fire, it is always safer to smoke outside. Leaving Christmas tree lights turned on when going to bed or leaving the house is dangerous. “
Bobore said the recent increase in house fires is a cause for concern and that some critical measures can be put in place to prevent this. “Not plugging too many appliances into an electrical outlet, making sure that combustibles are not too close to heaters, stoves and fireplaces, never smoke in bed or on soft furniture, not using damaged or frayed electrical cords or extension cords, keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children, and teach your child about the dangers of playing with fire. In the event of a fire, do not stop to get dressed or gather valuables. Every second counts, exit as soon as possible,” she said.
Bobore shared that one of the misconceptions about fire safety is that when one breaks out, the fire causes the most casualties. “The smoke generally injures or kills people when there is a fire. Smoke can fill an entire house in about three to five minutes. In case of heavy smoke during a fire, stay low to the ground while you evacuate to minimise inhalation. Always remember that all fires are the same, fires can vary by cause, combustible materials, and oxygen levels. Each type of fire requires different extinguishing agents and tactics. Familiarise yourself with the various types of fires and the correct extinguisher for each one,” added Bobore.
In case of a fire emergency, contact the eThekwini Fire Department on 031 361 0000, and to help the Parkvale family, contact Javon Devnarain on 083 381 2622.
