House catches alight during fuel transfer in Oaklands

Members of Reaction Unit South Africa are currently standing off at a home on Oaklands Drive in Oaklands – Verulam after receiving reports of a fire on the property.

At approximately 14:16 today (Thursday) the RUSA Verulam Operations Centre received a call from a member of public reporting the fire. Upon arrival Reaction Officers found a double garage attached to the home engulfed in flames. A VW Beetle & a motor bike were also on fire in the garage.

A 21 year old man who was employed to paint the home sustained moderate burns to his leg while a 62 year old woman was treated for smoke inhalation by Medics. The two were transported to hospital by ambulance.

According to one of the residents the painter was allegedly in the process of transferring fuel from a plastic gallon into the VW Beetle that was parked in the garage when the container ignited. The fire spread rapidly through the garage which is attached to the main building. This version of events is yet to be confirmed.

Firemen from the Ethekwini Fire & Rescue Services are on scene and have contained the fire to the garage which had been extensively damaged.