A house in Lovemore Crescent caught fire this evening, 17 July.
According to reports the firemen and the St Francis Bay disaster management team were on the scene in minutes and had the fire under control by about 7 pm this evening.
The house, reported to be at No 34 Lovemore Crescent, had smoke pouring from the roof and there was much activity around the house at 6 pm. The fire started inside the house soon after 5.30 according to witnesses,
Marc May, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said 20 NSRI volunteers responded to assist the St Francis Bay firemen after Calibre security company had raised the alarm. “There were two fire trucks in attendance and the fire pumps were linked to the fire hydrants for additional water.”
May said it was found that a corner of a house was well alight and in the gusting 20 knot Easterly on-shore winds there were fears that other houses behind the burning house might be susceptible o catching alight – similar to when 76 canal houses caught fire in St Francis Bay. “We assisted the Fire and Rescue Services, together with the security company and bystanders, to extinguish the fire rapidly and no further damage was caused.
“During the fire NSRI volunteers and bystanders were posted on roof tops of other houses behind the burning house to watch for falling embers and to extinguish them before they could cause any additional houses to catch alight. Only the kitchen, bedroom and a laundry, plus an entire corner was damaged in the blaze.
May added that this was the only house damaged in the blaze . “The cause of the fire is unknown and the Fire and Rescue Services will investigate.”
During the fire the firefighters asked everyone to stay away so they could put the fire out quickly without being hampered by hordes of onlookers.
A member of the disaster management team said that through capping on neighbouring homes’ roofs to prevent the fire from spreading elsewhere, together with the removal of burning thatch and the dousing of the flames, the fire was brought under control – despite a fierce wind blowing.
The firemen and all who helped at the scene have been commended for all their efforts to control and extinguish the fire this evening.
Photos taken proved to dark for publication.
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