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Four Injured as Fire
Breaks Out at Old Age Home
dispatch.co.za
South-Africa
June
10, 2008
Recovering: A man injured after a fire broke out on the third floor of a retirement home on the East London beachfront receives treatment.
Three Weavers Retirement Home on East London’s beachfront were taken to hospital for treatment after being overcome by smoke when part of the third floor caught fire yesterday.
Recoveriong: A man injured after a fire broke out on the third floor of a
retirement home on the East London beachfront receives treatment.
Putting out the flames : Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at Weavers Retirement Home. Pictures:
Nigel Louw
Worried: A shocked woman tries to come to terms with what is happening at the old age home.
Residents believe the fire could have been caused by a faulty TV. About 20 of the 48 residents at the home had to be helped to safety.
Gwen van Heerden, the chairperson of the centre, said:
“All the residents in the house were evacuated … the only problem was that some people wanted to go back to the building as it was cold outside.”
Evacuated residents were given temporary shelter at Woodholme Retirement Centre across the street.
Disaster management police spokesperson John Fobian said four people were injured and three were taken to hospital.
“But at this moment we haven’t established what may have caused the fire … it takes time to find what may have happened.”
Bystander Carol van Wyk said she saw old people running down the stairs as the smoke came out from the windows on the third floor.
“I am glad that no one is seriously injured,” she said.
“The old people were very scared.”
As word spread about the fire residents’ relatives rushed to the home.
An old man had to be stopped several times as he tried to get back into the building.
“I just want to go back there and get my wallet and walking stick, I will be back now,” he said.
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