A 9-months pregnant woman is among three families who lost alles in a devastating fire in Bonteheuwel on Thursday.
The family says everything went up in flames “in a matter of minutes” and there was nothing they could do to save anything except run for their lives.
The fire broke out in the early hours of the morning at the property in Juniper Street.
Aqueelah Abrahams, 20, who is expecting her baby any day now, has to start from scratch.
Aqueelah’s boyfriend Jayden Fortuin, 25, says she was too distraught to speak and they are worried about how they are going to care for their baby.
Jayden says: “All of the baby clothes, our clothes, everything burnt out.
“The baby is almost here and now we must start over. I don’t also have a job anymore, so I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Another resident, Giovanni Kitup, 39, says the fire destroyed everything he owned, leaving him with niks but the clothes on his back.
The devastated father says: “All the clothes, children’s clothes, my documents, our food and our bed, cupboards and other appliances. I have lost everything.”
According to Jermaine Carelse, spokesman for the City’s Fire and Rescue Service, they received the call for help at around 4.30am.
Carelse says: “Initial assessment by the Fire and Rescue Service indicated that two informal structures were destroyed with no injuries reported.”
It is still not clear how the fire started.
Calvin Ockhuis, whose home was also destroyed, says he is still paying off some of his possessions and now has to pay for things that he no longer has.
He says: “It’s a bit heartsore, everything is gone and there’s not more that I can say.”
Members of the People’s Movement for Change (PMC) in Bonteheuwel have called on the public to provide aid.
PMC’s Armien Albertyn says: “We are requesting and asking for assistance of any sort for the three families with children, they have no food and not a cent in the bank.“
If anyone can assist, please contact Salama at 062 695 4899.