Man dies in Hout Bay blaze
HECTIC: Morning fire.
A man from Hout Bay has died after he was trapped inside his Wendy house when it caught fire.
According to the City’s fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse, responders were alerted just before 5am of the blaze in Salamander Road.
“Crews from Hout Bay, Lakeside, Constantia and Wynberg were on scene and just before 6am, found the body of a man in one of the structures who had sustained fatal burn wounds,” Carelse explained.
He said that by 7am, crews contained the fire which damaged several homes. “Two men also suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to Hout Bay fire station for treatment.”
Neighbour Betty Theunissen, 65, whose property was partially damaged, said the man who died in the vuur was known as Dorian.
“He was a person who always helped the people, he was also well known in the area.
“People used him to wash their cars, he had a good relationship with people,” she explained.
On the blaze, she added: “I looked through the window and I saw the bottom section was burning, that is when I alerted my husband. I never thought the fire would come over to my place.”
She said that with days before Christmas, they now have to deal with the tragedy. “Everything was destroyed including the children’s clothes. I guess you just have to be strong,” the hartseer vrou added.
Carelse said the cause of the fire was unknown and the scene handed over to police.