05 Apr 2021

Four vehicles were burnt to ashes at Khonou Ward in Molepolole while awaiting repairs on Friday April 2.

Molepolole police’s Assistant Superintendent Kumbani Machaya said the police were notified about the incident around 7.10pm.

He said the mechanic, a 46-year-old man, reported the matter to the police after he saw a spark from piston of a vehicle he was repairing, a Ford Leisure model. It eventually caught fire.  

Supt Machaya further explained that after the mechanic failed to remove the piston, the fire intensified and three more vehicles that were also in the yard for repairs caught fire.   The three other vehicles were a VW Passat, Mazda 323 and Honda Fit.

Furthermore, he said the mechanic was rushed to Scottish Livingston Hospital by some people who witnessed the incident. He was treated for minor injuries and idischarged thereafter.

Meanwhile, Supt Machaya confirmed that the fire brigade managed to contain the fire.

He said the police had not yet met with owners of the vehicles to determine the total cost of the damage since they were still investigating what might have caused the fire.

One of the people who witnessed the incident, Ms Alice Kanye, said she saw a dark cloud of smoke coming from her neighbour’s yard to which she said her children suspected that it was probably someone burning waste.  

She said upon rushing to the scene, she found the vehicles ablaze.

Another neighbour, Ms Mmadikgomo Mauwane, also said she saw dark smoke while at her home and immediately she heard sirens of the fire brigade squad and she rushed to the scene where she saw the vehicles burning.

For his part, Rural Metro Emergency Management Services company shift leader Mr Othusitse Keobuse said they received a report of a fire incident in the evening and they immediately rushed to the scene.  

He said with the help of some people who were already at the scene, they moved quickly to put off the fire with water and buckets of soil in less than 45 minutes.

He cautioned mechanics to always have fire extinguishers in case of emergencies. ENDS