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 on when their Reedhaven family flat caught alight Saturday, 6 July.
The blaze, which consumed everything in its path, including all their belongings and crucial documents, spared only a cherished photo of their late mother. The family, now grappling with the loss of their home and possessions, face an uncertain road ahead as they try to rebuild their lives from the ashes.
Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, Woolaganathan Pillay, 69, who is more commonly known as Ernest, said he is heartbroken after losing everything he owned in the fire.
He said: “We wanted to boil water for tea so we opened the gas and put the stove on. All of a sudden the flames came up and we could not control it. My daughter was only able to grab my late wife’s frame and my two grandchildren as she ran out of the house. We could not put the fire out as the water was cut off. When the fire brigade came they, ran out of water also and as we waited for more water, we witnessed all our belongings turn to ash. My wife is late and all her documentations including her death certificate was burnt in the fire. We have lost everything as everything was burnt.”
Pillay said he lived with his wife at the premises for 34 years, before she passed away in October 2023. Due to ill health, having suffered from five heart attacks, his daughter moved in to take care of the pensioner.
“We were living as a family of five, three adults and two children. When the fire broke out everything got destroyed including everyone’s beds, clothes, documents, and lounge set among other items. The walls are cracked, we cannot live there anymore because of how badly damaged the house is. I cannot estimate the cost of rebuilding the home as it is so severely damaged. I am hoping that my house will be rebuilt to how it was as we have so many memories there and it is extremely heartbreaking,” he added.
KZN VIP spokesperson, Gareth Naidoo, said members of KZN VIP together with the eThekwini Fire Department, Metro Police, and Phoenix SAPS responded to the scene. Naidoo said they were alerted to the blaze by Pillay’s neighbours.
“Cries for help were heard as flames, almost twice the height, engulfed the family flat. Two people were treated for minor injuries by KZN VIP Medics and no fatalities were reported,” said Naidoo.
He added that it’s believed that a gas stove explosion is what led to the fire which was swiftly extinguished by the fire department. “All emergency services were in attendance and community members offered their assistance and counselling to the families during this time,” said Naidoo
EThekwini Fire Department divisional commander, Bheki Hadebe said: “Upon arrival, we found the building fully engulfed with flames going through the roof of the double-storey flat. A line of 38mm hose from the first fire truck was quickly used to attack the fire. When the second truck arrived, we added a second water line. It took us about one hour to douse the flames and start to dampen down the rest of the fire load inside the building. One person was taken by an ambulance before we could establish their injury.”
Hadebe added that the cause of the fire is still being investigated. To assist the family through cash or kind, please contact Pillay on 084 562 4001.
