A 77-year-old resident from the Waterval township, Mr Thomas Madali, burnt to death last Saturday evening when the Madali family’s seven-room house burnt down.

According to Mr Madali’s daughter, Irene, the cause of the fire is unknown. She considers herself lucky to have escaped the flames. She said that the incident happened at around 22:30. When she was interviewed, the family members were still in shock and, according to Madali, she only became aware of the situation when she heard noises and the sound of glass breaking.

“I heard noises coming from another room. I rushed there and found that there was a lot of smoke and the house was on fire,” she said. “We tried to extinguish the fire and, at the same time, to call the police and firefighters. The fire was very fierce,” she said.

She said that she remembered shouting for help in the hope that more people would come to assist and perhaps salvage some of their belongings. “But we were too late, and almost everything in the house was destroyed,” she said.

People from the township gathered at the homestead, but could do nothing. Firefighters later arrived at the scene and doused the flames.

A provisional estimate of the loss is more than R700 000. The fire also seriously damaged the roof and the walls of all seven rooms. The family’s documents, books, furniture, groceries and other items were burnt to ashes. A plea was made to community members and the business sector to assist the family with food, clothes, school uniforms and books.

Mr Madali will be buried tomorrow (Saturday).