Fire destroys Rhodesdene home amid water shortages

A FIRE erupted at a house in Michael Street in Rhodesdene on Tuesday afternoon, leaving the interior gutted and a family displaced. The blaze broke out at around 4.30pm, with the Sol Plaatje Fire Department responding to contain the flames.

When the DFA arrived on the scene, firefighters were battling the fire, but the cause of the blaze remains unclear.

Odette Raynard, the homeowner, recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the fire. “I was inside when my daughter, who stays in the flat at the back, told me about the smoke. I grabbed my four grandchildren and ran outside," she said.

Efforts to extinguish the fire were hampered by a lack of water pressure. “The fire was still small when we ran to get the hose pipe, but there was almost no water in the pipe due to the water being shut off by the Sol Plaatje Municipality. Luckily, all of us could get out safely,” Raynard remarked.

As firefighters worked to contain the flames, onlookers gathered outside, watching helplessly as the fire consumed the home’s interior.

Raynard, visibly emotional, expressed her gratitude that no one was injured but admitted the road ahead will be challenging. “Luckily, I have family in Kimberley, and I will now knock on their door for a place to stay. I don’t know what to think at this moment. I think all the thinking will only start tomorrow.”

This incident highlights the devastating impact of the city’s ongoing water shortages, which hindered initial efforts to control the blaze.