Cape Town Fire: UCT Student Describes Truly Harrowing Experience
- A student at the University of Cape Town shared her story of the fire that raged through the Mother City
- Elizabeth Pretorius described in detail, in an interview, how the raging blaze impacted her daily life
- Students from UCT will reportedly be making their way back to their campus residences from Thursday
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A student from the University of Cape Town spoke about the experience she had with the raging blazes in Cape Town. Elizabeth Pretorius is one of many students who were left displaced from their residences after the fires blazed through the Mother City recently.
Following the incident, Pretorius was part of an interview with a well-known publication. The student explained how her day started and what followed. She reportedly smelled the scent of smoke and closed her windows, thinking no would would reach her Graça Machel Hall residence.
Pretorius stated that she heard helicopters but paid them no mind. As the smell of smoke grew more intense, she realised she had to take further action.
Source: Getty Images
According to the interview she had with GroundUp, Pretorius stated that she started grabbing essentials when she heard the siren go off - her laptop, student card, matric certificate, file with personal information, study notes, water, some medication and her phone.
Pretorius and many others were under the impression that they would only be displaced for a matter of hours. The report continued by saying that the institution is now planning the return of some 4 000 students who were evacuated.
A report by News24 stated that the university released a statement on Wednesday about assessing the health and safety of students. An SRC member at the university confirmed that some students would be making their way back to their residences on Thursday, 22 April.
Briefly News has been reporting on the fires in Cape Town since it started. Previously, it was reported that there had been overwhelming support for those impacted by the devastating fires in the Mother City.
In a heartwarming thread that shows many people's sense of Ubuntu that was made by a Twitter user with the handle, @zubaecious, a number of people can be seen offering some sort of help to those affected by the devastating events.
"ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORT HELP FOR UCT STUDENTS [Thread]. PLEASE RT. And please add anything that you know of. #UCTfire," she captioned the thread.
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Source: Briefly News
