Lifesaver dies in fire: Handyman tried to rescue landlady
A popular handyman from Seawinds died a hero on Friday morning when he saved his elderly landlady from a blaze which engulfed her home.
Sadly the ouma also passed away later in the hospital.
The hartseer family of Rashied van Graan, 53, say this is the second time he risked his life to save another’s, but this time he did not survive.
According to the City’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, firefighters were called to the house shortly after 1am on Friday where they found the body of a man in the passage.
“A man died and a woman suffered 70% burn wounds in a fire in Seawinds during the early hours of Friday morning,” he said.
“The City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at about 1.15am that a house was on fire in St. Patrick Avenue.
“Crews from Lakeside and Wynberg fire stations were soon on the scene and managed to contain and extinguish the fire by 2.50am.
“The body of the man was discovered inside the passageway and the woman was treated and transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance. The scene was handed over to SAPS and the cause of the fire is unknown.”
Rashied’s niece, who asked not to be named, says they were woken up by frantic neighbours.
“He was renting there and moved into that house just a few months ago. We were asleep when neighbours came to tell us the house was on fire.
“They explained to us that my uncle got the elderly lady [Anna Adams] out of the house but we are not sure if when he went back he got trapped because the whole roof collapsed,” says the 31-year-old woman.
She says Rashied worked as a handyman and was known for assisting his neighbours in his spare time.
“He was very friendly and liked by everyone because he would always help to fix things at people’s homes.
“This is not the first time he saves someone’s life, 28 years ago he saved his brother Yusuf during a diving accident and risked his own life.
“Today Yusuf can walk because of Uncle Rashied. He died a hero.”
When the Daily Voice visited the home of Anna Adams, 72, neighbours said she had been rushed to Victoria Hospital after suffering severe burns to her body.
They revealed that she passed on later in the day.
body.copy.three...: According to neighbours, she has one son living in Cape Town, but the Daily Voice was unable to reach him.
monique.duval@inl.co.za