Gas bottle explodes, destroys family house
THE Bluff community has rallied to assist a family whose home was destroyed by a fire in Pitman Road yesterday.
A pet cat and a dog died in the 4am blaze.
Tenant Roxy Karmen said she could not breathe and felt suffocated. When she woke up smoke had already filled the home. She woke her mother, Maria Kurucz, and her father, who did not want to be named. They were asleep in the next room.
“I couldn’t see anything. When I opened my bedroom door, the kitchen door fell down in flames. I’m not sure how we all got out. If we slept any longer we would have been dead,” she said.
The family and neighbours tried to throw buckets of water on the fire but it was of no help.
Karmen said they were outside when the gas bottle exploded inside the house. The family have not been earning an income since the Covid19
lockdown began in March. They owned Maria Takeaway at the Bluff flea market.
“It happened so quickly. Our Toy Pom named Chocolate, who sleeps in my parents’ room, did not make it out. All of our possessions have been turned to ashes,” Karmen said.
They have been living in the house for 10 years. They have several cats and dogs.
The neighbour’s bedroom ceilings were also burnt and suffered extensive water damage.
Durban Fire Department divisional commander, Nkulumo Dube, said when they arrived the fire had already gone through the roof. He said it took them 15 minutes to extinguish the fire.
“We contained the fire and saved the semi-detached house next door,” Dube said.
Two fire engines, a water carrier and command vehicle attended the scene.
When the Daily News arrived, residents had offered the family accommodation, ablution facilities, emotional support and started a Whatsapp group.
Businessman Ivan Raimbault said donations could be dropped off at the This n That store at the intersection of Island View and Lighthouse roads.