A day that started out as any other for the Mosia family of Theresa Park, soon turned into a nightmare on Wednesday when their home burnt down, claiming the life of their four-year-old twin son.
In a desperate attempt to save the life of his young boy, Retshepile, Abraham Mosia braved the flames. But it was all in vain as the flames claimed the house and the boy, burning him beyond recognition.
Before disaster struck, Mosia, as he usually does, took his wife Bernice, an SANDF employee, to work just after 6am.
The couple’s four sons, Samuel, 19, Kanalelo, 16, and the twins, Relebohile and Retshepile, 4, were asleep when the couple left.
A neighbour, Euodia Botha, said she had seen them leave as they did every morning.
A close friend of Bernice, who did not want to be named because she thought it was disrespectful to the family if she interfered, said she had seen smoke coming from the house after 6am.
“At first I did not know what was burning. I went outside and realised it was Bernice’s house.
“I ran to the house and Abraham was trying to run inside the house while shouting: “My child, my child!”
He was being pulled back but tried to break free again to go inside,” she said.
“I cannot believe this has happened. Bernice is not taking this well,” she said.
Botha confirmed that Abe (Abraham) had returned home when the house was already burning.
Samuel, Kanalelo and Relebohile managed to escape the fire but Retshepile was trapped inside.
“There was a huge commotion outside. Cars, people, police.
“And when I went outside I could see the flames and smoke. A neighbour from across the road was running towards the house.
“He and Sam (Samuel) tried to connect the hosepipe to the tap but could not find a connector.
‘Sam broke a window but it was all for nothing, “ she said.
Botha, who has been living in her house for the past 29 years, said the Mosias were wonderful neighbours.
“We have been living next door to each other for the past 14 years.
“The children practically grew up in front of me,” she said.
“They are the best-behaved children I have ever come across.”
Botha said she had cried uncontrollably when she heard of Retshepile’s death.
While forensic investigators were working inside the remains of the house, Bernice was receiving counselling from an SAPS social worker next door.
Her colleagues who came to support her consoled each other outside the house as she was sobbing bitterly while being counselled.
When she later emerged from the house, she was carrying Relebohile who seemed unfazed by all the activity.
As the funeral services arrived at the house, Bernice’s sister, Madibuseng Kaba, left the neighbour’s house and said her sister was not doing well.
Kaba, who lives in Vosloorus, said she had received a call just after 7am on Wednesday telling her of the fire.
“I rushed to the house. It was only when I saw her (Bernice) that I heard of the tragedy.
‘I was not here when the fire was extinguished but I heard Abraham ran inside the house and part of the ceiling fell on him,” she said.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Matthews Nkoadi said an inquest docket had been opened.
It was unclear how the boy had become trapped in the house, he said.
“It is suspected that a heater was the cause of the fire and it will be investigated,” he said.
Retshepile is the sixth child to have died in a house fire in the past few weeks.
On June 11, two children died in a fire in Montana, while three siblings died in an orphanage fire in Hartbeespoortdam a week later.
Netcare Akasia Hospital confirmed that three of the Mosias had been admitted.
According to the hospital, Abraham and his two sons were in the hospital’s high care unit and in a stable condition.
Abraham was treated for burn wounds while his two sons were treated for smoke inhalation.
Kaba said she was not sure where the family would live now that their house had been gutted.
Pretoria News/IOL
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