28 Jan 2019

An old couple in Tsabong was left in the lurch by a fire outbreak that ravaged their three bed-roomed house at Botsogile ward on recently.

Mr Andrew Lekhutlile, 75, and his wife Loeto were found at the scene with nothing, but mattresses, clothes and scores of villagers on site.

According to Ms Lydia Bojang, a passerby who was on her way to the kgotla, when she entered the yard to call Lekhutlile to go to the kgotla, she found a two-year- old baby playing outside while the living room was engulfed in whirling eddies of smoke.

At the time, she said Ms Lekhutlile was in the room, but when she shouted out for help, 71-year-old Loeto came running outside.

Without knowledge that there was a fire station in Tsabong, she dialed Tsabong Hospital, who then notified the fire department who immediately came to their rescue.

Ms Bojang said the inferno ripped through the living room, starting from where the electric main switch was, around 8am.

Fortunately the fire fighters came and extinguished the blaze, managing to save three beds.

According to Mr Lekhutlile, the fire reduced everything to ashes in the living room from couches, television set, a church telephone line and new doors. 

He said the fire consumed to ashes household items which amounted to about P30 000.

He suspected the outbreak to have been caused by an electric fault as the fire started in the meter box, which had over the years caused problems.

He stated that since 2006 after building the house the meter box was giving the family problems as it constantly affected the electric switches, noting that the electric stove could not function adequately.

He said last year they changed the meter box, hoping that it would not trip the plugs.

For her part, Tsabong Department of Fire and Rescue Services fire officer Ms Tebogo Orman - Ndjoze said they received the call when house was already up in flames. 

However, she said they managed to prevent the fire from burning the entire house, saving three bedrooms.

No injuries were reported.

Investigations are ongoing to ascertain what could have sparked the fire.

Ms Orman-Ndjoze advised the public to always dial 998 whenever they experienced fire outbreaks. 

She noted that the station started running in May last year and they intended to embark on  public awareness campaigns.

“Since May last year our station received nine fire calls.

Two of them were caused by electricity while the rest were caused by candle light negligence,” she said. ENDS