KATIMA MULILO – Residents of Katima Mulilo are up in arms over the town council’s clumsy handling of fire emergencies and what they consider as poor service by fire-fighters.
This after a house belonging to Clement Puteho in Soweto location burned for an hour without any reasonable effort to extinguish the blaze.
After the emergency response fire engine arrived on the scene it became evident it did not contain water, prompting the CEO to summon another truck which also reportedly experienced “mechanical problems,” and it only arrived later.
Scores of onlookers gathered and some good Samaritans were spotted trying to help extinguish the fire while awaiting the arrival of the fire engine.
“The house started burning around past 08h00 and the truck only came here around 09h00. When it got here was when they realised that it did not have any water and apparently the other truck was failing to start. This is poor service,” lamented one of the onlookers in total disbelief.
By the time the fire was being extinguished much of the interior of the house had been completely engulfed by the inferno whose main cause was unclear. The lack of obligatory fire hydrants in and around Soweto also led to serious complications as the fire truck ran out of water prompting it to leave the scene in search of water elsewhere.
Some of the owner’s property was salvaged from the house and the owner was too overcome with emotion to grant an interview.
It was unclear what else was ruined in the house and New Era could not quantify the damage.
Repeated attempts to speak to the CEO of the Katima Mulilo Town Council Charles Nawa proved futile as his phone repeatedly went unanswered.