Free State fires: Farmer fighting for life, 100 000 hectares destroyed
- A fire has destroyed over 100 000 hectares of land in Hertzogville, Hoopstad and Christiana in the Free State
- The fires were allegedly started during a service delivery protest by Tokologo residents on Monday
- A farmer is currently fighting for his life after getting trapped in the fire
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A fire has wreaked havoc in certain parts of the Free State this week. The blaze was allegedly started during a service delivery protest by Tokologo residents.
The residents torched a water tank, starting a runaway fire that has since been difficult to put out. Since Monday, over 100 000 hectares of land has been burnt. However, farmers have not just lost the land, they have also suffered losses of livestock.
The fires destroyed everything in their path in Christiana, Hertzogville and Hoopstad. The blaze was further fuelled by dry grass and high winds.
The fires have been described as the worst in years and the exact amount of damage caused is yet to be calculated.
According to News24, 17 people were arrested on charges of arson and each were granted R1 000 bail. However, seven of the accused could not afford to pay the money and remain in custody.
Although there have not been any human casualties reported, one farmer is currently in the hospital fighting for his life. The farmer suffered third degree burns after he got trapped in a fire while trying to help put it out.
Social media was flooded with photos and videos showing how severe the fires were.
In other news, Briefly.co.za reported on a video that had South Africans shocked. Just when you thought you've seen everything, a video of an elderly woman discharging a firearm into the sky emerges.
The video was uploaded to Twitter by popular parody account, @AdvoBarryRoux. In the video, the lady can be seen pointing the firearm towards the sky and firing. The lady walks down an embankment while firing the gun at random intervals. All the while the person videoing the incident laughs hysterically.
The 19-second clip has raised a lot of concerns with Saffa tweeps, many of whom found the video to have no substance. Others couldn't understand why someone would record an incident like that, let alone share it online.
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Source: Briefly News