Eyewitness News: Clean-up starts after deadly Limpopo fire

Clean-up starts after deadly Limpopo fire

All that remains of a Chalet, after runaway veldfires destroyed a large portion of the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela-Bela. Picture: Helivac

Two people died, approximately 50 more were treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns and property was destroyed, when runaway veldfires hit the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela-Bela. Video footage provided by Helivac.

Multimedia

All that remains of a Chalet, after runaway veldfires destroyed a large portion of the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela-Bela. Picture: Helivac.
03/09/2012
Sondela Nature Reserve Fire
03/09/2012

Shain Germaner | 03 September 2012

JOHANNESBURG - A massive clean-up operation has begun, and a call centre opened, after a devastating fire that killed two people and destroyed a third of the Sondela Nature Reserve on Saturday.

A fire which started at a neighbouring property rapidly spread through the reserve. It took firefighters almost four hours to extinguish the blaze.

All but two of the more than 800 guests were evacuated from the property. An elderly couple staying in one of chalets could not escape the flames.

A further 40 people had to be treated for smoke inhalation and other minor injuries.

The popular Limpopo reserve opened up a call centre to help guests displaced by the fire.

An operations manager at the reserve, Mel Meyers, said the call centre would assist with the reporting of insurance claims and public liabilities.

The reserve will now try to salvage from the blackened mess that was once its timeshare section.

(Edited by Thato Motaung)

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