Fire destroys single mother’s flat
A family of four's flat is destroyed by a fire of which the cause is unknown.
A fire broke out at Mercia Court on Generaal Pienaar Street in Witpoortjie in the late morning of Tuesday 1 October.
Residents of the block of flats who were at home at the time of the incident, smelt smoke and believed that it was coming from the garage. On further inspection, however, they realised that a fellow resident’s flat was aflame. There are 18 flats in the building.
The fire is believed to have started just before 11am in flat number 12. Residents and Mercia Court manager Jaco Reigel contacted Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) but had to control the fire themselves in the meantime. Johannesburg EMS vehicles only arrived at 11.55am.
“We’re not yet sure how the fire started, but we believe it started in the living room,” Reigel told the Record.
Luckily the residents, a single mother and her three children, were not home at the time of the incident.
Lizette Delport, mother of three, arrived just after 12 noon and was devastated at the sight.
“I don’t know why I wasn’t contacted sooner,” a distraught Lizette told the Record, having rushed to the scene.
“Nothing is left. My whole life was in that flat.”
Dominee Arnold Delport of NG Witpoortjie was on scene to comfort her and pray with her.
“I rushed here because my friend, who lives in Mercia Court, contacted me.”
Mercia Court caretaker Bettie Weyers is concerned about the now destitute Delports.
“I hope we can house them in the empty flat (number 7) in the meanwhile, but we’ll communicate with the owner first.”
Weyers says that the owner of the building will be back in Witpoortjie on Thursday morning.
Anyone who can offer any assistance to the Delports is urged to contact the Record offices on 011 955 1130.
