Tafelsig man dies helping neighbours put out devastating fire
Four Tafelsig families in Wolfberg Street suffered considerable damage and losses in a fire that claimed the life of their neighbour, who died trying to help put the blaze out.
The fire in which Sergio Harris, 42, died was allegedly due to an electricity surge from a plug’s input.
Survivor Clinton Hendricks, 41 and his wife, Lenita Hendricks, 42, had a small braai for their mother’s birthday when their lights went out. They thought it was load shedding as their area regularly experiences power outages.
“The main switch of our home’s electrical board switched off. After buying electricity, we switched it on and the plug later sparked in the back room,” said Ms Hendricks.
“The weather was bad over that weekend, the wind made the fire spread. My husband and son-in-law fell through the roof trying to put the fire out. My son-in-law has stitches in his fingers and Clinton burnt his arm and back. He was discharged from hospital on Thursday April 11,” Ms Hendricks said.
“We lost everything. Our house was damaged in this fire, leaving only the carport and garage. Our family, friends and neighbours have been such a help to us; we’re staying with them until all is sorted.
“We’re a family of 11, we’re unemployed, our home’s not insured as it's not a council house. We are in dire need of donations and we are so grateful for the donations that have already come in,” she said.
Their children, who attend Huguenot Primary School and Tafelsig High School, have lost their schooling equipment. They've been out of school for a week due to the fire, said Ms Hendricks.
Mr Hendricks’ brother-in-law, Christiaan Swartz, 38, who stayed in the wendy house at the back of the Hendricks’ home, close to the back room where the plug sparked, wasn’t aware of the fire until his wife, Carmelita Swartz, 34, screamed to him.
“We pushed through the house. We couldn’t come into the room. I ran out to fetch the hosepipe but the fire spread. Die mense het gehelp. Dis hartseer maar dit het gebeur en ons moet vorentoe kyk.”
His wife and two toddlers are staying with neighbours. They’ve lost everything in the fire and their personal documents, he said.
Neighbour Shamielah Menigo, 53, said part of her bedroom, roof and toilet were burnt.
“My son, 25, smelled the smoke. His son, 3, was also in the room. They looked through the window and saw the wendy was on fire. We tried to clear the room as fast as we could but some of the things didn’t make it. Some people helped but carried my stuff away and stole it.
“We didn’t ask for this. If we can get help with roofing, wall blocks and cement it will help. This is going to cost so much,” Ms Menigo said.
Ulysees Dreyer, 44, who stays behind the Hendricks’ home, said he smelled the smoke when the fire began. “At that moment I grabbed my children’s clothes, some of our belongings when the top part of my wendy burnt. I burnt my arm and chest doing so.
“I knew Sergio. You don’t get people like him anymore. This is heartsore,” he said.
Recalling the events that claimed her husband’s life Mr Harris’ wife, Wilhelmina, 53, said: “A few of them were on the roof. They threw sand and water. I didn’t see my husband. I searched for him but couldn’t find him. On the arrival of police and the fire brigade, they did a search and found Sergio’s body on the ground,” she said. “He was a hero. He went in to help others and saved their lives.
“We’re struggling with burial fees. I’m so hurt and sad that I lost my husband,” she said.
Ms Harris’ daughter, Nicole Isaacs, 33, said Sergio was a father to them. “A house can be built but we can’t bring our father back. Our neighbours really supported us but it is a very sad time for us.”
The community and Mr Harris’ family held a candlelight vigil on Thursday April 11.
Brigadier Mark Hartzenberg, station commander of Mitchell’s Plain SAPS, confirmed that one person died at the scene and two men were injured. “They were taken to Melomed Hospital and Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital respectively for medical treatment for burn wounds.
“The cause of death and identification of Mr Harris must still be established through a post-mortem and DNA analysis,” Brigadier Hartzenberg he said.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed one person sustained fatal burn wounds and was declared deceased by medics.
Crews from Belhar, Mfuleni and Lansdowne were on scene.
Mr Carelse said by 11.50pm, firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze that destroyed a formal dwelling and an informal dwelling and left 11 people displaced. An adjacent formal dwelling was also partially affected by the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown pending an investigation from SAPS, he said.
Ward 92 councillor Norman Adonis said he spoke to the families at 31 Wolfberg Street, 29 Wolfberg Street and 22 Wolfberg Street on Sunday April 7. “It’s very sad that the family lost everything and the other family a loved one,” Mr Adonis said. “I want to encourage the community to be more vigilant of fire and also make sure they have insurance on their properties.”
• If you would like to help or donate to Ms Hendricks, Mr Swartz and Ms Dreyer, call Ms Hendricks on 064 279 1129 or 084 658 8576. If you would like to donate to the late Mr Harris’ family, contact them by calling Ms Harris on 078 245 1751 or Ms Isaacs on 074 687 0800. If you would like to donate and assist Ms Menigo, contact her on 083 354 8332 or 084 246 6575, or her daughter, Tasneem on 074 954 0308.