A devastating house fire on Midmar Road in Burlington, Shallcross has claimed the lives of two well-known community figures, Pastor Rachel and her husband Donovan Chetty.
The blaze broke out just after 6.30am last Tuesday, sending shockwaves through the community and religious circles where the couple had long served with compassion and unwavering dedication.
Emergency teams from ALS Paramedics, Trauma 911, the Ethekwini Fire Department, SAPS, and local security patrols responded swiftly to the scene. Upon arrival, paramedics found that six of the eight occupants had managed to escape the inferno, sustaining minor injuries. One woman was rushed to hospital with a deep laceration to her wrist caused by shattered glass, while three others were treated on site for smoke inhalation.
Tragically, two individuals—identified as the couple in their late sixties—were found deceased once the flames were extinguished. According to paramedics, they had been trapped inside as the building collapsed. They were declared deceased on the scene.
The cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage.
As news of their passing spread, tributes began pouring in for Pastor Rachel — a woman whose life’s mission was to uplift, care for, and serve the underprivileged. For over three decades, she was the heart and soul of Elohim Ministries, a church and outreach centre based on the same property that became the site of her tragic death.
Assistant Pastor Paul Onoruyi, who worked alongside Pastor Rachel for eight years, painted a picture of a deeply committed servant-leader whose work often went unseen by the broader public but was felt profoundly by those she served.
Pastor Paul said: “She wasn’t a pastor who sought fame or luxury. Her heart was for the poorest of the poor. She supported ministries in India, children in Zambia and Zimbabwe, and anyone in need. She welcomed people into her home — drug addicts, the homeless, the abandoned — and gave them free shelter, food, electricity, and clothing. This was not just a church. It was a home for the forgotten.”
Pastor Rachel’s ministry extended far beyond weekly services. Every Sunday, she would ensure the entire church community was fed — often preparing meals herself even when her health was failing.
“From the very first day I stepped into this church, I saw what she did. She would hand out envelopes with money, seal them with care, write each person’s name on it — even from her hospital bed. She forgave easily, loved deeply, and lived to serve God,” said Past Paul.
Among those grieving is Kelly Kasaval, a close friend and member of Elohim Ministries, who described Pastor Rachel as a “true mother” not only to her family but to many within the congregation.
Kasaval said: “I’m not someone who was always obedient or respectful, but she taught me how to be a woman, how to be a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law. The person I am today is because of her.”
Kasaval shared how Pastor Rachel often said she prayed for a ministry that would serve the most broken and abandoned individuals in society.
“She told me, ‘I asked God to give me the vagabonds, the prostitutes, the addicts. I didn’t ask for musicians or the wealthy. I asked for the no-name brands.’ And that’s exactly who she poured her life into. She made us into people. She gave us our identity.”
For Kasaval, the loss is not just personal, but spiritual. “To lose a mother again is something I cannot come to terms with. Pastor Rachel gave us so much hope, so much love. I feel like my joy died with her.”
Pastor Rachel and Donovan Chetty made it their life’s work to uplift others. Their home, now reduced to ashes, had long been a sanctuary for those who had nowhere else to turn.
“She did it all for God. Not for applause or recognition. She wanted to make sure that the church had what it needed, that the people were taken care of, that God’s house was never lacking,” Pastor Paul emphasised.
As authorities comb through the wreckage and the investigation continues, the community is already looking ahead — determined to honour Pastor Rachel’s memory in action.
