Fire at Germiston Old Age Home Kills 1, Leaves 6 Hospitalised and 44 Displaced, SA Horrified: “Sad”

• A fire tore through Die Anker Tehuis old age home in Germiston, leaving one person dead, six recovering in hospital, and 44 others displaced
• The incident happened on Thursday, with authorities undertaking a subsequent investigation to establish the cause of the fire
• Social media users expressed their shock over the devastating event, which spurred government officials into action

GERMISTON — One person died and dozens more were displaced following a fire at Die Anker Tehuis old age home in Germiston on Gauteng's Eastrand.

Six other people were hospitalised for smoke inhalation after the building caught alight earlier on Thursday, 18 July.

Fire guts Germiston old age home

TimesLIVE reported that the Ekurhuleni Emergency Medical Services (EMS) received reports of a fire on Bruce and Victoria streets at about 9:30.

Read also

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services concerned about winter fire incidents

Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi said first responders arrived to find the structure engulfed in flames.

"It was well alight, and parts of the roof [had] collapsed," Ntladi said.

"We evacuated the residents while the other crew worked to suppress the fire, having been made to understand that 51 residents lived there."

However, one person died of burn wounds, and the other six were hospitalised due to smoke inhalation.

The remaining residents were moved to a nearby primary school for temporary accommodation.

Ntladi said the upper floor of the two-storey building was extensively damaged while police investigations continue.

South Africans applaud response

Social media users reacted to the development, with others applauding Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko's department's swift response to the incident.

Briefly News takes a look at a few reactions.

Read also

South Africa's GBV nightmare: Dorcas Lekganyane's fate

@aMidLifeCrisis wrote:

"So sad. My mom was there. [I] managed to fetch her, but she’s lost everything. So many people [are] without people to help them."

@JaneRamatseba said:

"Our new [MEC] at work. Love to see it."

@JohnPCMay added:

"Thank you, leadership, for your prompt response. You are the 1 leader in GP that I have 150% faith in. Under your caring leadership, all those elderly people will be taken [care] off to lessen the trauma."

Fire guts National District Hospital in Bloemfontein

In related news, Briefly News reported that emergency responders evacuated more than 80 patients after a fire gutted two floors of the National District Hospital in Bloemfontein on Sunday, 7 July.

The extent of the damage was unclear, but preliminary investigations showed that a cigarette bud caused the fire, SABC News reported.

Source: Briefly News