A 38-year-old Somali woman barely escaped with her life after a fire destroyed the old Boston Hotel in Voortrekker Road late on Sunday night.
A relative, Muhammed Faro, said she was sleeping in her flat in the hotel building, situated opposite the Bellville Melomed Hospital, when smoke started coming from the plugs and she escaped just before the fire engines arrived at 10.50pm.
“She was alone in the house when the fire started and I do not know what started it but we had to break down the doors to get her out and then just as we got her out, the people came to put the fire out,” said Faro.
The foreign national said he did not know the cause of the fire but it seemed as if something plugged in blew while the woman was sleeping in the sixth-floor flat that housed five people.
“We do not know exactly what blew but the plugs here in this place are faulty and I guess with the load shedding, it got worse until something overheated.
“Our family is now without a home and we cannot go back in because they are still saying the roof might collapse.”
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed crews from Bellville, Milnerton, Goodwood and Brackenfell attended to the blaze while initial reports stated there was somebody trapped inside the fire.
“Upon arrival, it was found to be a flat on the first floor that was burning and no one was trapped inside.
“It would appear that a room was damaged in the fire and no injuries were reported. The fire was extinguished at 11.47pm and the cause is unknown.”