Expert rules out arson in Knysna fires
FORENSIC investigator Dr David Klatzow’s report into the cause of the Knysna fires differed greatly from the report released last week by Knysna fire chief Clinton Manual.
Manual said the fires were a result of human activity.
However‚ Klatzow said the fire was sparked by a lightning strike in an indigenous forest in the Elandskraal area on April 12.
The fire smouldered for several weeks in a portion of the forest until strong winds and hot air eventually fuelled a bigger blaze on June 7‚ Klatzow said.
The forensic investigator said there were several reasons that Manual’s report was incorrect.
Among them was that he had misquoted the position of the smouldering fire. Klatzow said Manual also misquoted statements from witnesses and was wrong in his notion that smouldering combustion would not have had enough fuel to have developed.
“The other thing is‚ one should never do an investigation where they are involved‚” said Klatzow‚ adding that this would result in a lack of credibility.
Speaking after delivering his report in Centurion‚ Klatzow said it was possible Manual had been nervous about being in the “firing line”.
“But it was a massive fire and he did his best‚” Klatzow said.
As strong winds fanned the Elandskraal blaze‚ another fire – most likely started by accident in the Dam-se-Bos area on that same day – had gained power.
He acknowledged that the Mossel Bay fires‚ however‚ were the result of arson.
“These fires were started on purpose. The police refused to investigate the allegations of arson that were lodged with the local AfriForum branch‚” he said.
People protesting for houses in the area were found with petrol canisters.
Police had confiscated them but when the canisters were later inspected‚ the petrol had “miraculously turned to water”. — DDC