A devastating fire that gutted a home in Trenance Park, Verulam, has left a mother and her two daughters destitute as they try to piece together what they can after losing almost everything.
On Monday morning, 31 January, Nikayla Moodley, the eldest daughter, returned home from work and went into her room to rest. Her 10-year-old sister was in the room next to her, studying and preparing her school work, and the next thing they knew, their family home was engulfed in flames. She said: “I woke up to the smell of smoke. When we went to investigate we saw the lounge completely engulfed in flames. Through the lounge is our only way out so at this point we were completely trapped.” Moodley said the smoke emanating from the two-storey house was so immense that it caught the attention of her neighbours, who tried to assist. “Everyone tried their best to help. Someone even brought a ladder as we were trapped on the second level of the house.
They managed to break a section of the burglar guard which my sister and I squeezed through to get out.” She said they are unsure of how the fire started but suspect it could be the result of an electrical fault. Due to the extent of the fire, Moodley said their house has been reduced to just ash and dust. “We are left with nothing and currently reside with a relative until we can restore some stability to our lives. Our neighbourhood is doing all they can to assist us and a few people have sponsored some basic necessities.”
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) said they received a call informing them about the fire and that their officers immediately rushed to the scene. RUSA spokesperson, Prem Balram, said that when the officers arrived the siblings were located on a neighbouring property. “The two were treated on scene for smoke inhalation. Residents said they heard the two females screaming for assistance when they noticed the house engulfed in flames. With the use of a step ladder, residents managed to rescue the sisters who sought refuge on the upper level of their home. There were no deaths or injuries reported,” said Balram. Following the devastation, the family is in need of assistance with groceries and other living essentials. For more information or to assist the family, contact Lorraine Moodley on 061-435-4299 or Nikayla Moodley on 061-986-8791.
