“Houses are burning all the way to the sea on the canals,” a fireman told St Francis Chronicle this evening. The fire apparently started at Royal Wharf late afternoon where some people were having a braai.
It also reportedly started when the electricity went off. From there the fierce winds that sprang up this afternoon tossed the fire rapidly down Spray Avenue, taking down Hynsie and the Robertson’s house, then the Nortje’s house before jumping over the canals towards big Time Taverna and in the vicinity . Some bystanders estimated as many as about 60 houses could burning down – or more..
Most of the houses on the canals are thatch roofs and many do not have water hydrants, so the fire was spreading fast from about 4.30 pm onwards.
Photos taken in Spray Avenue and in the vicinity of La Digue place and the little bridge towards Big Time Taverna by St Francis Chonicle
An urgent appeal has come from the NSRI: “We need help!!” Anyone able and willing who can assist, please pop down to the old fire station and offer your services or call Marc May on 082 9567981
Also if anyone is missing can people report this at the old fire station where a central collective point is being set up to assist and collate and take plans of action.
An update will follow as soon as we get more news.
Please call St Francis Chronicle: 0836095835 on any news or updates of the fire, tragedies or heroes.
See related article: http://www.algoafm.co.za/article.aspx?id=4038
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St Francis Chronicle 
What a terrible tragedy
Any details to how many houses are burnt yet?
Reblogged this on rosfromscratch and commented:
Please pray for these people that stay in St Francis. It really is bad – and the wind is still pumping!!
IS THERE ENOUGH FIREMAN TO ASSIST IN FIGHTING THE FIRE –
Our thoughts and prayers are with the St Francis Community….
Poor people!! feel readlly sad for all the families involved!! thinking of you all!
What a catastrophe, very very sad for those whose lost their homes, hope no one or any animals injured.
But why no municipal hydrants, surely municipality would have action plan for such an event in an area where majority of homes have thatched roofs?
Dear God please let the wind subside so that the Firefighters can do their job and put out the fires. The flooding was bad enough, now to be hit by fire. Please pray for every body who is in volved in this disaster.
This is tragice…
this is devastating!! I’m surprised that there is not a proper fire station in the area, with all these thatch roofed houses!! 50 house so far…
nic.v2@vodamail.co.za
Please give info Praslin Reach .Is there any danger?
Praying for St Francis after one tough 2012. Xx
So Tragic. As a young family we spent every available spare moment at our holiday home at St. Francis.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all .
The Pitouts
Want info re Praslin Reach
please
lets pray for the safety of the people and pets.
We can offer shelther for tonight for people who need a place to sleep.Sylvia and Ronnie van Heerden Jamaican Palms, Marina Martinique. 0761526013
To see a video of the fire, please go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3hDEfH1vcU
House available in Cape St Francis if anyone needing accommodation.
Whoa! Those flames look huge! Sorry to hear about this… strength to all the guys trying to fight the fires.
Genade! Sterkte mense – wens ons was daar om te help. Is in Johannesburg en het eiendom daar. Liefde Pieter en Adri Uys
Love Light & Strength to the People of St Francis Bay
Namaste
Hou ons ophoogte asb , ons gebede gaan uit na julle mense in St Francis. Wens ons kon kom help het, maar omstandighede laat dit nie toe nie, sterk wees mense. God is by julle.
ek het nie woorde net othou God is in beheer al lyk dit nie altyd so.STERKTE AAN ALMAL GOD IS ONS KRAG .MY GEBEDE MET JULLE On 12 Nov 2012 07:16, “St Francis Chronicle” wrote: > > jp commented: “Hou ons ophoogte asb , ons gebede gaan uit na julle mense in St Francis. Wens ons kon kom help het, maar omstandighede laat dit nie toe nie, sterk wees mense. God is by julle.” >
Our thoughts and Huge prayers are with the residents of St Francis Bay
Utterly devastating – I pray lives are not lost
Our thoughts and prayeswith you all and our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have assisted through the very tough time.
Peter and Tisha Cunliffe and family
So heartbroken. May God be wiith each family
Can anyone tell me if houses on Mahe Beat have been affected?
Let the country pray for these poor people! Dear God please help them!
All we can do is pray for all the people and their families in St Francis and their great losses. We pray that the fire will stop and there will not be casualties due to the fire. God Bless to all the volunteers and all the people affected by this great disaster.
Hi there,
Is there any more help needed at this time?
We had a huge veld fire 2 february 2006 in gansbaai. Grootbos 2 burnt down! Fire burnt right behind my house, but hardworking hero firemen where able to bring it under control. I still remember how terrified i was. My haertfelt sympathy to everybody who has lost their homes! May god be with you all and keep everybody safe. Things can be replaced but lives never!
Looking on from our house in JBay … just teriible to even think of StFrancis people agony: we are praying for safety and RAIN, and the wind to lie down. God bless all. Albert & Ronel Venter
Thanks for the news flash – first I’ve heard of it.
My condolences to all who lost property – and I really hope everyone is safe!
Oh my word I can’t believe it. My uncle owned a house on the canals and we spent a lot of our childhood there. I feel like I am watching a piece of my life burning – my heart goes out to everyone who has lost their houses, to the animals, to everyone involved.
Dit is erg ons gebede gaan uit vir die mense
May all the victims find peace…you’re in our prayers, we feel so deeply for your loss!
TERRIBLE! We so enjoyed our vacation at the Royal Wharf earlier this year. What a mess and damage! Are the people ok?
Ek is so jammer om dit te moet aanskou. Het vir die afgelope drie jaar by die Royal Wharf
vakansie gehou. Baie sterkte vir almal wat skade ly. Die ergste is dat dit kort voor baie mense
se welverdiende ruskansie gebeur. Mag die Here met julle wees.
Hope everyone is safe.
Ons almal bid dink aan die mense wat alles verloor het en ek hoop nie daar is ernstige beserings van diere en mense want dit is die goed in die lewe wat nie vervang kan word.Ons bid en sterkte hou ons op hoogte asb
Our hearts go out to St Francis Bay! God be with you all!
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you at St Francis Bay.
The Burke Family
we pray for everybody in St Francis and sending angels for our friends.I am very sorry to hear this horrible news .
Father i pray for those people, animals that You will intervene and resque those area, i pray that You wake up people out of theïr slumber and turb only to You, in Jesus Name i pray, amen en amen
Wie kan my dalk se of hulle weet of die royal wharf heeltemal afgebrand is? Mag al die mense beskerm word in die tyd van nood! En mag niemand seer kry nie…
Dit is te verskriklik! Ons innige simpatie en ons gebede is met die huiseienaars en almal wie verlIese het. Ons bid dat die vure geblus sal word, sterkte!
What an awful disaster. We are praying for you! Richard and Kathy Heard. x
This is terrible. At least it has not happened during peak holiday time.
Our thoughts and prayers go to those in this situation…. And pray that all be safe…. May God bless u St Francis Bay….
My hart gaan uit na elke familie wat deur hierdie ramp getref word…….
Dis so hartseer
Hoop almal is veilig!
One of the most beautiful place in South Africa.My thoughts and prayers go to those who lost their houses and hope that everyone is safe.
As a builder I am shocked that Council Planning Permission was given to build over 50 thatched roof houses in an area without adequate fire protection. Every house should have been equipped with a fire hose on a 50 meter reel PLUS at least 4 fully serviced fire extinguishers. All equipment should be inspected annually by the local fire department…..This is an absolute tragedy, and the local authorities should be held responsible.
The people of Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada are thinking of you and praying for you. We know what you are going through and still have to go through. We lost 700 houses in our small community in a forrest wild fire 18 months ago. We are still rebuilding our lives and our homes
I cannot sleep worrying about everyone there. Please God, no loss of life. Please. My prayers to you all. I would have offered my home as a refuge, like a flash, but have tenants there.
I am shocked! We had our matric holiday in one of these houses. I am 60% sure that house burnt down. This is not nice at all!
Baie sterkte aan elkeen betrokke. Ons bid vir julle.
I am costantly praying for all that have suffered losses. May God bring inner peace to you. I am so terribly sorry for this disaster that has consumed such pretty village.
OIts about time the municipality realises that thatch and wind do not go together with wood and charcoal braai’s. Ban them and insist on gas !
We, At Jeffreys Bay offer our prayers, condolences and heartfelt sympathy to all our wonderful neighbours during this devastating time of loss. May God give you all courage, strength and comfort. We are praying for you all and all the firefighters, volunteers and pets.
Dit is verskriklik!! Ons hart gaan uit na al die families wat hul eiendomme en als verloor het. Ons dink aan julle en jul is in ons gebede. Wens ons was daar om te help. My ouers bly in Humansdorp so ons gaan elke jaar st francis toe.
Yes it is a great loss and thank God there do not seem to have been any fatalities. Looking on the positive side, I am sure that it will be rebuilt bigger and better than before, and you guys will be getting a fire station and a lot of new steel roofed houses. My thoughts and prayers with you all.
Wat n tragedie. Ons harte gaan uit na julle.
So hartseer, ons huis is een van die wat afgebrand het, soveel lekker memories, nou soveel hartseer. Sterkte vir almal wat hierdeur geraak word.
we all glad no lives were lost.Our prayers goes out to all who lost their houses and also to the insurance companies.Hope the headache wont last too long!!!
Very very bad.. our thoughts and prayers are with them
Our thoughts and prayers are with you people in St Francis Bay
Praying for the people in the affected area. God be with you!
Please go to the Facebook page of the fire: http://www.facebook.com/Stfrancisfireinfo if you are able to offer any asssitance or if you need help.
Our prayers and thoughts with all the families in St Francis. Where does one begin to imagine the terrible fear and distress that must be going through all those people.
Wat n gtoot ramp. Ons gebede is met almal en ons dank God dat almal se lewens gespaar is. Sterkte. Ons dink aan julle.
Very heart sore to see such devastating photo’s of such an amazing place! our thoughts go out to those involved or affected by this tragedy…
Het enige iemand al die nuutste nuus? Is enige mens of diere beseer/dood?
No one died thankfully. a few minor injuries by some hoo tried to put out fires.
See updates at: http://stfrancischronicle.com
Many thanks for the response. Now comes the “building back the ‘buildings’ and peoples lives'”……
it is time that legislation be passed that all homes with thatch have a sprinkler system on and inside the roof.
So sorry the read this new… 😦
I am realy sorry what happend to the poeple at St Frances Bay we al wil pray with the poeple
i am really sorry what happend to this people in our prayers
Replying to the comment of Des- how terribly unkind of you. Yes, some of us are very rich, some others are very poor and will never understand. Sleep well
This is terrible. Condolences to all who have lost property. Thinking of you guys. Hope no one was hurt.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the St Francis Community….To the Firebrigade oon the sene make pls B safe nd make the St Frances community PROUD ! , Jst sad 2 see how people lose there belongings in a wink of an eye !!!! God bless your community in the rebuild ………. Your in my thoughts
We pray that aid comes your way and relief provided for everyone who has suffered loss
Guys we feel for all of you and yes to some it may feel like the end but to me this word end means “effort never dies” so with the help of the community and our Good Lord all of these can be rebuild, just as long as no one died or got hurt. let this also be a lesson to all to make sure that when you make a fire to be very cautious.
Hi could you please send me contact details of any person who i can contact in connection with giving this area a professional fire and rescue service. We are a private emergency services and can deliver all the needs of the community.