Yet another Alex shack fire
ALEXANDRA – Second shack fire leaves family homeless, needing help
Tragedy reared its ugly head again in Alexandra when the home of a family of seven was razed down by a fire on 12 January.
This after other shack fires reported by Alex News burnt down two shacks a week before and in December leaving hundreds of others in distress.
In this instance, the 12th Avenue Nakeng family of four children, two grandchildren and their mother were helped by neighbours to salvage very little in an inferno said to have spread quickly and luckily without any injuries sustained. The blaze said to have been caused by children who lit matches also darkened the adjoining home of Shelly Zulu with soot and burnt-off electrical connection.
One of the children who were alone in the house at about 10 am seemingly confessed later to Zulu to setting the fire as they pranced around in the bedroom. “I received frantic calls while attending a funeral in Polokwane and immediately returned to find the home gutted,” single mother Julia Nakeng said.
Holding herself against the trauma effects she said, “We lost two wardrobes with clothes including children’s uniforms, two television sets, a stove, a bed and blankets, cupboard, room divider, school certificates and identity documents.”
She said it would have been worse if it had been at night. “The children’s 22-year-old sister who was alerted by the smoke pulled them out and, neighbours called the police and the fire brigade who arrived when the blaze had been contained,” Nakeng added.
Thabo Msuthwana of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs who was documenting the damage urged the two families to get affidavits as proof to assist them to get particularly power reconnected. This in addition of emergency relief of food parcels, blankets and clothing already provided by the department’s disaster management unit. “Philanthropist Linda Twala also added his bit to ease the Nakengs’ burden. “We are sheltered temporarily by neighbours while rebuilding the home and our lives,” Nakeng said.
Any assistance to them can be communicated through 072 947 3361 or 071 530 5551.
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