A Verulam family faced a double tragedy when they had to abandon a cremation ceremony to fight a fire at their home.
|||Durban - A Verulam family faced a double tragedy on Sunday when they had to abandon a cremation ceremony for a loved one to fight a fire at their home.
In desperation, they had to draw water from a salt-water fish tank to quell the flames, which largely destroyed the Temple Valley house belonging to Harridaw Harichand, 66.
Harichand’s relative, Surajpaul Ramkisson, also 66, had died on Saturday. He had been living in the basement of the house with his family.
Harichand’s son, Ashok, 42, said most of the men in the family were at the crematorium when he got the call that the house was on fire.
“We left what we were doing and rushed home.
“People used hosepipes, blankets and whatever sources of water to try and put out the fire. The fire was spreading rapidly and in five minutes destroyed most of the home,” he said.
“Before we arrived, my father had rushed in to look for one of the children, who he thought was in a room. He was bruised and slightly burnt.”
About 30 relatives and neighbours who had come to pay their respects were in the lounge and in a tent outside at the time when the fire started.
While fire crews were extinguishing the blaze, the family went back to the crematorium to complete the last rites.
“At this stage, we assume the fire started in one of the bedrooms but cannot attribute the cause to anything until an investigation is complete,” Ashok said.
“The inside prayer area was saved but damaged with smoke and soot.
“The lounge, kitchen and three bedrooms were gutted.”
He said a relative had accommodated his father and brother, who also lived in the house with his family.
A local security company, Reaction Unit South Africa, had responded to the fire and evacuated the house.
The company’s spokesman, Prem Balram, said they had stopped people from entering the burning house to try to salvage possessions. It was an emotional scene, he said.
The fire department could not be reached for comment.
Daily News