Students flee as flames threaten campuses
Hundreds evacuated, lectures cancelled after scare at NMMU
HUNDREDS of students evacuated from NMMU during the early hours of yesterday morning due to a raging bush fire returned to campus yesterday afternoon. Between 800 and 900 students were evacuated between midnight and 5am as fire threatened the Protea and Sanlam student villages.
Students were told to abandon lectures on the south and north campuses and at the CSIR building in Gomery Avenue when the fire, reported to have started at 7pm on Tuesday, came dangerously close to damaging parts of the 720ha campus and nature reserve.
Lectures resumed at 2pm yesterday after the fire was brought under control.
South End fire station commander Conrad Cupido said the cause of the fire was not known, but high temperatures of up to 37°C had been a contributing factor.
“We have to consider all factors, including weather conditions,” he said.
“We are concerned about the wind as some fires continue to flare up.
“We are trying to keep in front of the fire, so that we can continue cutting it off.”
Four fire trucks and a tanker were dispatched to different parts of the south campus as the fires flared up.
No injuries were reported, but some people suffered from smoke inhalation.
The university said as far as could be determined, no animals had been harmed as there was ample room for them to move out of the danger zone.
Students said chaos had erupted at about 11.55pm when smoke detectors went off in the residences.
For others, it was the banging on doors by shouting fellow students that woke them.
BTech logistics student Dimpho Kgopa, 21, said she had been studying when the fire alarm went off.
“I smelled smoke at about 7pm but we paid no attention, thinking someone was burning papers,” she said. She only reacted when she heard a commotion outside.
“One of my flatmates went to check. When she opened the door there were flames outside and we started evacuating between then and 5am.
“What troubles me is that there was no contingency plan.
“No one was giving us clear directions as to where to go, but my friends and I ended up going to family in Kwa-Magxaki,” Kgopa said.
Another student, who identified herself as Susan, said she was in shock.
“I was in a deep sleep when my friend banged on my door and advised me to take my passport and my phone,” she said. “I grabbed clothes and ran. “There was ash everywhere. The fire was as big as a building and the heat was blowing towards us.
“I couldn’t breathe and I was crying as I thought we would die.
“It was so bad, I think I need counselling,” she said, crying.
“I didn’t know if I should stay in my room or leave, but I decided to run with the others even though there was no security to help us.”
Many students said they had found refuge at other residences on campus and others fled to family and friends.
NMMU spokeswoman Zandile Mbabela refuted claims that no contingency plan was in place, saying: “The director of student housing, Dr Shuping Mpuru, was on campus and working with other staff members and student leaders to successfully evacuate students to safety.
“Immediate action was taken to prioritise the disabled students, with all students advised to gather at the Letaba and Lebombo residences.
“Students and staff worked cooperatively to ensure the safety of all.”
Mbabela said it was believed that the fire had started at about midnight on land adjacent to the nature reserve, running along the boundary line and into the south campus.
“The university will be liaising with the municipality on improving fire breaks and other preventative measures,” she said.
The university is also upgrading its fire and disaster management strategy to introduce new measures.
These include drills, new containment provisions and sourcing additional campus firefighting capabilities.