A Sastri Park grandmother, Renal Pillay, 53, watched in horror as her three bedroomed house in Ashpark, was gutted by fire on Wednesday afternoon, 21 July.
Pillay, who is a mother of two children and a grandmother of two said her husband was at work when the fire started at around 3pm. “I had just come outside and stepped onto the verandah. My daughter and I were talking on the phone to our other daughter who lives in Potchefstroom. I suddenly turned and saw my house engulfed in flames and smoke. Thick black smoke was coming from the kitchen area.”
Pillay said that she remembered her son-in-law was unwell and was sleeping in the room at the back part of the house. She screamed for him and frantically searched for the children aged 2 and 5-years old who were playing in the front area of the house.
“Thankfully my family were unharmed. I tried very hard to contain the fire by using a hose pipe but the fire raged on. I couldn’t see a thing in the ensuing smoke. I am grateful to my neighbors who helped out by calling the fire brigade and ambulance. I am asthmatic and had to be treated as I inhaled smoke and couldn’t breathe,” she added.
Pillay explained that they bought the house in 1994. “We lived in the house for five years and then moved to Ladysmith as my husband works for the military. After 12 years my husband was transferred to Durban and we decided to extend our house as it had become too small for the family. I watched in horror as my house burnt down in about 5-10 minutes before my eyes. I never imagined that such a thing would happen, ” she said.
She explained tearfully that everything they owned burnt in the fire and they do not have clothes, food or even a toothbrush to use. “The baby uses diapers and is on fresh milk, “ she added.
Pillay said that the neighbor accommodated them on Wednesday night.
Gareth Naidoo spokesperson for KZN VIP said that armed response and the ambulance attended the scene. “A fireman was injured in the fire and was treated by Netcare,” said Naidoo.
Jay Kaaniappan, spokeperson for the Umhlanga Fire Department confirmed the fire occurred on Wednesday afternoon. “The fire department were called out to a house on fire. When the fire brigade got to the house, the roof had already caved in. There was extensive damage to the property.”
Kaaniappan confirmed that a fire fighter was injured when a tile slipped off the roof and hurt his neck. “The fireman was taken to a hospital in Umhlanga and thankfully he was discharged. The cause of the fire is under investigation,” said Kaaniappan.
Should you wish to provide assistance to the family, please contact Renal Pillay on 065 9844743
