Arson suspected in boland fires

DRAKENSTEIN fire chief Derick Damons says police are investigating whether the fires which swept through the Du Toit’s Kloof and Boland Park areas were set by arsonists.

“We have our suspicions that there is a possibility that the areas are deliberately set alight. It’s just too obvious, so many fires keep happening in one specific time. The police are busy with investigations, checking and following up leads they have.”

A fire broke out yesterday in Boland Park, near several homes, while fires which began on Thursday in Du Toit’s Kloof continued blazing.

Members of the community battled flames metres away from their doors with hosepipes.

Johannes Ambrose, one of those fighting the fire, said: “The fires started at one o’clock. I was angry because the fires are coming to the houses. We must protect our homes.”

Another resident, Junaid Bailey, said: “We were sitting here playing dominoes, and suddenly I saw flames out of the blue, coming from the bush. The smoke started and then there was a fire. I have an idea what started the fire, perhaps a cigarette was not put out, and it may have been thrown into the bush.”

Damons said the fire in Du Toit’s Kloof, on the Paarl, side was under control. But the fires in the area were continuing to flare up. “We have crews in stra- tegic points doing controls and regular monitoring to check for possible flareups, and then to attend to that,” he said.

Regarding the fires in the Boland, Damons said: “We are still busy there. We have three attendants working there, which is over a very large area, so they’re still busy fighting that fire, but I’m sure in the next two hours, they will be be able to contain that fire and eventually extinguish that fire.

Cape Winelands Incident Commander Heinrich Louw said 120 firefighters, 13 fire engines from the Cape Winelands and Drakenstein fire service, and six helicopters had been dispatched. About 900ha of land was damaged. andrew.robertson@inl.co.za