By Lloyd Govindsamy
What started as a normal day for a Verulam family ended in tragedy and tears as their home was reduced to nothing but ash and dust after a fire gutted their residence on Wednesday, 1 June.
The Pailath family, who are residents of Trenance Park, said they are still traumatised and dealing with the aftermath of the fire that changed the course of their lives, in one afternoon. Mark Pailath, the joint homeowner of the razed property, said he was at work when he got a call from his wife explaining what happened.
He said: “She was in a frantic state while trying to tell me about how our home was being engulfed in flames. The network connection was terrible and I had trouble hearing what she was saying. I rushed home as quick as I could. It was such a painful journey thinking about whether anyone was hurt and all we could have lost. I arrived to see two fire trucks and firefighters extinguishing the inferno.”
Pailath, who works as a quality control manager, said when the house caught fire his wife was out assisting a church member’s daughter and his four children, aged 23, 21,17 and 11 were in the house asleep. “My second eldest got up to the smell of smoke and heard noises coming from the front of the house and saw that kitchen on fire. She screamed to alert her siblings and they ran out of the house. My wife is still devastated and trying her best to cope with the ordeal. ”
“We’re still unsure about how the fire started but we lost just about everything. Our furniture, appliances and clothes are all ruined. This home is a very special place to use. I’ve lived in Verulam my entire life and in Trenance Park for 12 years. We bought the land and built our home from the ground up. My wife, two eldest children and I actually cleared the bushes to make way for our home to be erected. I cannot explain just how heartbreaking it is to see the condition of our house right now,” said the Terrance Park homeowner.
Pailath and his wife are both pastors and hold congregation every Sunday at the Redcliffe Primary School. After every service they take home their most valuable assets for safe keeping. “These items have been destroyed in the fire. We’ve lost a Pearl Drum snare, a guitars, keyboard, laptop and a relatively new projector,” said Palate.
However, even through this trying time, Pailath and his family still have faith in humanity and are confident they will rebuild their lives. “With the support of the Verulam Minister’s Forum, family, friends, community and various religious organisations we have all we need to live comfortably at this moment. They have been so generous in providing us with food and clothes and some have even offered to help us rebuild. The support has really been overwhelming,” said Pailath.
The eThekwini Fire and Emergency was among the first responders on the day. Division Commander, Jay Kaaniappen said two fire engines, one water carrier and one command vehicle were dispatched to the scene. “When we arrived the building was well alit. All the contents were damaged and the owners were informed not to enter the home due to the stability of the structure. There were no injuries or deaths.”
If you would like to assist the Pailath family please contact Mark Pailath on 081-379-7534.
