Parkwood family seeks help after fire destroys their home

A Parkwood family of three lost everything in a blaze.

A Parkwood family of three lost everything in a blaze.

Published Jul 27, 2021

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Cape Town - A Parkwood mother, Aretha Minnies, and her two children of 10 and five, are without a home after a fire burned down their three-roomed backyard dwelling along with all their belongings.

Fire officials said they responded to the blaze at 11.15pm on Sunday evening.

The 41-year-old Minnies was struggling to cope, and had not been able to eat, talk or sleep since the incident, her mother, Abigail, said, speaking on her behalf.

“We are very sad. Every time people ask me how I feel, I can’t hold back my tears. My daughter has not been able to sleep or eat since last night. She also does not want to talk to anybody. My daughter is partially deaf, so she doesn’t work and her children both have speech impediments, so she has to look after them. It is already challenging for them, now she lost everything except the clothes on her back.”

Recalling the incident, Abigail added: “It was after 11pm when her 10-year-old daughter shouted “mamma, mamma”; when I looked outside I just saw flames. Thankfully the community were very helpful, assisting us to put out the fire.”

She said they believed the fire was started by a faulty plug.

The biggest fear for Abigail at the time, was the thought of losing her daughter and grandchildren.

“I keep having flashbacks, what if these children died, I lost my husband in August last year I would not have been able to handle it.”

The family are in the process of cleaning and removing the leftover rubble. They are asking if anyone can help them rebuild their lives, by donating food, clothes or building materials.

Abigail can be reached at 074 602 6707 or 084 908 2044.

Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said an adjacent informal structure was also partially damaged.

Cape Times

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