Woman killed in house fire

[Sonlandpark 28 March 2012 01:30]

In the early hours of this morning, a woman passed away tragically after allegedly being trapped in a burning house in Sonlandpark in the Vaal Triangle.

Paramedics who arrived at the scene were told that it appeared that the fire had started in a back section of the house. Neighbours had been alerted to the smoke and they then alerted the Emergency Services. In the mean while, they knew a woman (82) and her daughter (57), lived in the house. Despite thick smoke and the dangers of the fire, they entered the house to rescue the two women. They managed to get the 82 year old woman to safety, and she was taken to Mediclinic Vereeniging by ambulance for treatment of possible smoke inhalation.

The neighbours also explained that the woman's daughter had undergone an operation about a week ago and she was immobile. They tried to get her out of the burning house quickly, but with such thick smoke and having to bear most of the woman's weight, civilian rescuers struggled. On a second attempt they pulled her out of the house, but tragically, the woman had already succumbed to the fire and smoke. Despite this, they tried CPR on her as a last attempt to save her life, but paramedics who arrived at the scene performed all necessary assessments and the woman showed no signs of life. She was pronounced dead on the scene, with multiple and extensive burn wounds to her head, neck, back and chest area.

The neighbours were also checked by paramedics but fortunately were found to have sustained no physical injury. If it were not for their caring and heroism, there may have been a double tragedy resulting from this fire.

The cause of the fire will need to be determined after investigations are conducted by the necessary officials.

Vanessa Jackson, ER24