Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Blaze destroys hero’s home
Helicopter pilot has cat to thank for saving his life
MIKE Bothma, South African firefighting helicopter pilot, awoke to a smoke-filled room and the sound of sirens on Sunday morning as his 200-year-old house on The Blue Hippo farm, just outside of Greyton, caught fire due to a candle left alight in the bathroom.
Bothma miraculously survived, receiving only a smallthird degree burn on his one finger. He said that the pain was not bad as most of the nerves were destroyed by the fire.
He had an operation on Thursday and was released from hospital yesterday.
Bothma said that he usually slept with his bedroom door open, but on this occasion he had closed the door to keep his cat out of the room.
He suspects that this saved his life. One of his biggest concerns had been whether his cat had survived.
The cat was found safe the next day.
Bothma had been employed by Working on Fire for five years. “I resigned from being a full-time firefighting helicopter pilot at the end of November, and am now self-employed, creating a retreat space in nature.”
His flight logbook containing his flight information over the past 25 years was burnt beyond repair in the fire.
Everything in the house was destroyed and the house is now structurally unsound.
Bothma intends rebuilding the house.
The Blue Hippo farm is being made into a retreat space and a sustainable community.
Bothma said that many generous people were helping him to rebuild his life.
He commented: “I have gained more than what I have lost.”
He had left his tools in his vehicle the evening before so they were not damaged, which will make rebuilding easier.
Said Nic Bothma, Mike’s brother: “The response has been overwhelming and heart- warming, exposing so much goodwill in this city. At first just from a small Facebook post we started receiving building materials, clothes, messages of support almost immediately from all over the city.”
The brothers started a crowdfunding page to assist in raising funds to rebuild Bothma’s house on the website http:// www. thundafund. com/ project/firepilothome.
“I think people in Cape Town know all about the brave helicopter pilot firefighters and the firefighters in general and see them as heroes because we have all experienced the devastation of fire in our city.
“They have always wanted to thank them. Now one of these heroes has had some real bad luck, in the most ironic way, and this is a great way to say thanks,” Nic said.