Witbank responds to house fire

Dean Wegerle, NSRI Witbank Dam station commander, said: By NSRI Witbank Dam. NSRI crew standing-by at the house fire.At 19h30, Monday, 09 October, NSRI Witbank duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a house alight on the opposite side of the dam from our sea rescue station, at Golden Mile Estate.The sea rescue craft FNB Wavescapes was launched and the Emalahleni Fire and Rescue Services and the SA Police Services responded.Our priority was to reach the scene as quickly as possible to investigate if any persons or animals were trapped in a house ablaze after we believe the house was struck by lightening and aware that emergency services would take longer to reach the scene by road on roads hampered by heavy rainfall.On arrival on the scene we confirmed that there were no persons or animals trapped in the house, the house owners were not present and we assisted neighbours to keep a safe distance and checked that the fire was not spreading further than the house which being a thatch roof was raised to the ground.On their arrival on the scene Emalahleni Fire and Rescue Services took over on the scene and our assistance was no longer required.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE