A family was forced to flee and find refuge at a friend's place after their Stones Hills home was gutted by yesterday's runaway wild fires. Andre and Suzanne Wille lost everything in one day after their A Stones Throw B&B which doubles as their home, caught fire and burnt to the ground.
A family was forced to flee and find refuge at a friend's place after their Stones Hills home was gutted by yesterday's runaway wild fires. Andre and Suzanne Wille lost everything in one day after their A Stones Throw B&B which doubles as their home, caught fire and burnt to the ground.
Speaking to Grocotts today (Friday) Andre Wille said, "I'm still shocked and trying to come to terms with it." Wille said his wife called him around 15:30 in the afternoon alerting him of a threatening inferno fast approaching their home. Wille said, upon his arrival the house was burning with the fire-fighters battling the blaze. The Willes have two children aged 13 and 17 years.
Wille pointed out fatigue and lack of equipment from the Makana fire fighting team as one of the factors that contributed to the failed mission.
"They ( Fire fighters) didn't have enough adequate machinery and the staff was tired because they had been putting out fire the whole day yesterday."
Kyle Coates also from Stones Hills said it took a great neighbourly support to save her home. The fire only managed to destroy her garden."My neighbours were fantastic, together we managed to stop it 20 metres in front of my house," said Coates.
According to the chief of the Makana Fire Department William Welkom, the fire, still raging on, started at Robinson street behind PJ Olivier Skool. "From that bush near the substation, it then went to Hillsview but we managed to secure houses." Explaining further Welkom said the fire then jumped to the N2 and went to the Waterloo farm.
"We protected the house at the farm as well but it then travelled fast to the houses in Stones Hills." Welkom said it is difficult to tell when they will finally put out the blaze as it is currently burning in the Kloof- a difficult and unreachable area.
"We are hopeful the situation might change because there are lots of indigenous bushes in the area as well". Indigenous bushes are lush evergreen plants that contain substances resistant to fire. They are capable of containing it from running away allowing fire fighters to put it out.
According to Welkom yesterday's fires were difficult to control as they were supported by strong winds travelling at 40 kilometres an hour. Welkom said the cause of the fire might have been caused by strong winds blowing over electric cables.
