More than 150 people have been left homeless after a fire they’re blaming on load shedding.
On Sunday night, a block of flats in Woodstock went up in flames after a burning candle apparently fell over.
Residents say Stage 4 load shedding hit the area just after 8pm.
All six floors of the Victoria Centre in Calvin Road were damaged while the third floor was completely gutted.
The woman whose candle allegedly started the fire was rushed to hospital for smoke inhalation.
Residents say gas tanks “went off like bombs” and contributed to the rapid spread of flames.
Two shops on the ground level, the Three Star Superette and Woodstock Cash and Carry, were both badly damaged.
Resident Shane Bezuidenhoudt, 48, his sister and three nieces were left homeless.
“From what we are told, an auntie on the third floor lit a candle and it was close to her cupboard. The wind from the open window let the flame leap into the lady’s cupboard and it spread quickly because of the wind.
“She is directly above us and when we realised there was a fire, we just took the kids and headed out of the building,” Bezuidenhoudt said.
DAMAGE: Store on ground floor of the building in Woodstock where fire occured
His sister Dody says she alerted their neighbours and blames Eskom for the blaze.
“I ran up and down screaming fire, fire, trying to make sure everyone was out of the building, and then we just stood watching as the fire took over,” she says.
“The loadshedding is the problem. Our power went out at 8pm already and now we have no homes.”
They say Fire and Rescue Services arrived about 10 to 15 minutes later.
Two men who live in the building claim the fire extinguishers were not working.
“The extinguishers did not work. I tried four different ones and then it just started getting too hot. We could maybe have prevented some of the damage,” the one tenant said.
The building is owned by businessman Sadeck Ahmed Zhaun, who made headlines in 2017 when he was kidnapped in Salt River.
He was held for more than two months before being released by his captors.
Group Property Manager for the Victoria Centre, Lucas Joubert, says although they are not legally obligated, they have provided destitute residents with food and accommodation in a nearby warehouse.
LANDLORD: Sadeck Ahmed Zhaun
He denies the fire extinguishers were not working: “We had them checked in October and they were working fine. There was nothing wrong with them.”
Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says they responded just after 10pm, but were attacked by residents.
“The fire was extinguished after midnight. Firefighters came under attack by some occupants. The cause of the fire is unknown and the scene was handed over to SAPS,” he says.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said: “No formal case was opened as no foul play is suspected at this stage. Police didn’t receive any complaints from the emergency personnel about the alleged assault or attack by the residents.”
Bezuidenhout and other residents have denied claims that they attacked firefighters.