'HELP ME, HELP ME'

A VROU who shouted for help when her family home caught alight on Wednesday evening in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain tragically passed away after rubble fell onto her during a house fire.

Michelle Adams, 40, was alone in her family home in Outeniqua Street while making kos on Wednesday evening when the incident happened.

She shared the house with her siblings and boyfriend.

A community member who asked not to be named told the Daily Voice that fire and rescue services were called for assistance after neighbours heard Adams screaming: “Help me, help me”.

They explained: “It was a very very bad experience and a shock. The asbestos flew onto people’s roofs.

"Maar daar is baie rubble in die mense se yard, so die mense het probeer om daai nat te hou sodat die vlamme nie aan die ander huise kom nie.

“[Michelle] was besig om kos te maak, maar daar isi krag drade in die huis want alles was gesteel."

City Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse reports: "The incident was reported at around 9pm as a house alight in Outeniqua Street, Tafelsig, on Wednesday 13 August."

Crews from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha were on scene." Members extinguished the blaze which gutted the dwelling by 10.30pm and left five of the neighbours displaced. 

Carelse added: "One adult female sustained fatal burn wounds and was declared deceased on scene by medical personnel."

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said that police officials from Mitchells Plain police station are investigating the matter.

Twigg says: “Police members attended to the scene where the body of a 39-year-old female was pointed out after Fire and Rescue Services extinguished the fire.

"The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.”

Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) Chairperson Norman Jantjes told the Daily Voice during the koue season people tend to make fires, use heaters and gas stoves and often leave it on and appealed to the community to exercise caution.

Anyone with any information about this incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.