Seven members of a Manenberg family have been hospitalised after being trapped in their council flat during a fire allegedly started by druggies.
The horrific blaze in Erica Court on Wednesday morning saw frantic mense scrambling to extinguish the flames as the Lakay family struggled to escape.
When they were eventually rescued, everyone was rushed to hospital including eight-year-old Caleb, who was taken to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital after his airways closed up from the thick smoke.
Angry residents say the blaze broke out in the early hours in a flat below the Lakay home, where they claim mense were dik gerook and left a candle unattended.
Caleb’s aunt, Laikan, 35, says she was not in the house.
“I don’t sleep in the flat but my children do. It was so bad that my whole family was trapped inside. The smoke filled the whole place and they all got sick,” she said.
“It started at the flat underneath and the smoke came up to their home. My mother Jennifer, 63, is now at Heideveld Emergency Centre on machines getting oxygen.
“My sister Kim was also affected and is at the same hospital.
“There are three children with them who are also being treated because they breathed in too much smoke but my nephew, Caleb, is the worst off. He is in the ICU at Red Cross. We are so cross because the whole family could have died like that.”
Caleb’s mom Kim, 31, who was trapped in the flat, says the heat from the flames penetrated the floor of their flat and they were unable to walk on it.
“It was so hot your feet would burn if you touched it. We were so traumatised and scared and thought we were going to die,” she said.
“When the fire department arrived, we could not even get out because the flames were blocking us and we had to wait until the fire was out.”
Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Edward Bosch confirmed: “The Fire and Rescue Service received the call at 3.42am.
“Fire officers damped down the smouldering debris within the abandoned flat. The flat sustained partial damage due to the fire.
“Officers confirmed that four persons suffered smoke inhalation and were administered oxygen.”
Community worker Raeefah Benjamin, 55, says the fire also affected three children inside the flat where the fire started.
“There are two girls, aged two and 12, and a 15-year-old boy in need of donations. The parents are dwaaling around but the community is angry.”
If you are able to assist the laaities, contact Benjamin on 073 177 0464.
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