Tragedy struck in Des Hampden last Wednesday (16 August) when a fire broke out at a home in Samuel Street.
Brigette Lombaard, wife of Raymond Lombaard (82) who succumbed due to smoke inhalation, said they have been living in the neighbourhood for 45 years. “On 28 September we would have been married 55 years.”
Brigette and other family members who lived under their roof were housed at next-door neighbours when TygerBurger spoke to her on Thursday.
She said the fire started from a plug in their “computer room”. They went outside soon after.
Brigette said her husband who was a very caring person, decided to go back inside. “I don’t know what he wanted to go fetch. The smoke was too much. They found him in the bathroom on his knees.”
She suspected the cause of the fire was electrical. She mentioned lights going on and off and plugs that went dead beforehand.
“There is a gas tank in the bathroom, it is still there – the fire did not reach it,”
On Thursday Brigette was awaiting the arrival of their one daughter who’s been living overseas for many years. (Their other daughter and two grandchildren live with her.)
“She called two weeks ago and said the air tickets are so expensive. I said: ‘why do you want to come?’ She said; ‘I only have one mother, (and) one father, and I want to come home’. Now the ticket was in time.”
Brigette expressed her thanks to their neighbours and others who rallied around them and organised for security to watch over the property on Wednesday night.
“People said the road is going to be quiet without him,” Brigette said. A family member added that Raymond was a “jolly” person who loved to play his music for all to hear over the portable speakers that his daughter brought him from Abu Dhabi.
Short circuit
Brigette said her husband would often talk to God. “I know he’s saved, he prayed – look they found him on his knees.”
Jermaine Carelse, fire service spokesperson, said on Friday the City’s fire and rescue service was alerted at 08:20 on Wednesday of a house alight in Samuel Street, Des Hampden.
“Upon arrival fire crews found the dwelling well alight and conducted a search and rescue operation as one person was reported inside.
“At about 08:50 firefighters found the body of an adult male, who had succumbed to smoke inhalation.
“The fire was extinguished shortly after 09:00 and the scene was handed over to the police”, Carelse said.
On Monday WO Liesel Beukes of Kuils River police, said feedback from the fire service is the fire was caused by a short circuit, possibly load shedding related.
