Bontas DJ’s home goes up in flames
A fire destroyed the home of a popular Bonteheuwel DJ, who was able to save his sister.
Gavin Barry says he got home just after 3am on Sunday after playing at a gig in Brackenfell and while he was inside his Chestnut Street huisie, things started to get a bietjie warm.
“I still pulled the cars in and was in the toilet when I started smelling burnt wires five minutes later.
“The smell kept getting stronger while I was thinking what is going on until I heard people outside shouting and knocking, that is when I knew something was wrong,” he says.
“I immediately went to my sister Lorenda to wake her up, and then I went to switch off the mains before I left the house.”
The 49-year-old says he was able to get both his and Lorenda’s cars away from danger, but could do niks except watch as his family home burnt to the ground.
He says it’s the third fire at his house in the last few years, and the latest one also started at a neighbour’s house.
“The wind was strong at that time so the flames were blowing to my house but I was just glad I could get my sister out in time.
“She was alright, just a bietjie smoke that made her cough but all of our belongings were gone.”
Fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed that crews from Epping, Goodwood and Belhar went to the fire which was extinguished at 5.05am.
“A total of two formal dwellings were damaged and five informal structures were destroyed leaving several residents displaced while the cause of the fire is unknown,” Carelse said.
junior.bester@inl.co.za
VUURIGE: A Chestnut Street home aanie brand vroeg Sunday morning