Fire victims grateful for help
Two of the houses on the property near Rusty Hook where at least four families live, burnt down after a fire mysteriously broke out on Tuesday, 18 September.
Apart from losing everything in the raging inferno, the residents of Wilgespruit were grateful to be alive and thankful to their neighbours who assisted them in their time of need.
Two of the houses on the property near Rusty Hook where at least four families live, burnt down after a fire mysteriously broke out on Tuesday, 18 September.
According to Andrew McGhee, the owner of one of the houses, the fire started in a veld on the neighbouring property. The wind blew the flames across the boundary between the two properties onto their homes. He said the fire raged on for about 13 hours.
He added that Honeydew Police are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
Mary-Jane Persson De Lange said they were shattered because her mother’s house, which she owned for 48 years and where they grew up, also burnt down. The family was running a business on the property. “The business has been brought to a complete halt,” she said.
Persson De Lange’s home escaped the flames, but she lamented about her dog and cat having gone missing due to the fire.
While insurance company assessors were assessing the damage, Persson De Lange expressed her gratitude to local businesses, neighbours and even strangers who extended them a helping hand. “The community has been very helpful. We are grateful to Charterhouse School, Rusty Hook, Fisherman’s Village and Honeydew Fruit and Veg for sending their employees to help during the fire. We are also thankful to our friends and clients who offered their support,” she said.
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