A Manenberg family rushed to save their prize pigeons as a fire engulfed their brother’s Wendy house on Sunday.
Moegamat Tougeed Abrahams, 40, says a peaceful evening in their Irvine Street home quickly turned to panic when the blaze broke out in his brother Ganief’s Wendy house, leaving the family of four with only the clothes on their backs.
“We were all in the front of the main house just enjoying a Sunday evening together when the fire started at my brother’s Wendy house at the back,” Abrahams says.
“We didn’t even know the place was on fire but the neighbours saw the smoke and told us when we got to the back we got a skrik to see Ganief’s whole house was already gone.”
He says the hok where they house their feathered friends caught alight and they jumped to save the chicks.
“There was nothing we could do about Ganief’s house but the two of us and my other brother Waleed jumped into action to save the chicks because they can’t fly yet.
SURVIVORS: Chicks saved from the fire
“Most of the adults flew away but in the morning some of them returned. Sadly some of them also died.”
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, says: “The fire was extinguished at 8.50pm and the cause is undetermined.”
Tougeed says Ganief, his wife and their four children lost everything.
“While we are glad none of them were hurt, they lost everything and the children could not go to school. They are traumatised and need help to rebuild,” Tougeed says.
Anyone who would like to assist can call Tougeed on 071 253 6366.
