- By Bev Mortimer
In the very early hours of this morning, a fire broke out in a backyard shack in Roman Street, in the densely populated Sea Vista suburb of St Francis Bay.
The homeless, now bereft of all their possessions need urgent help from people in the St Francis community.
The fire spread from the one shack rapidly to seven other shacks, in the vicinity of the first one. All shacks were razed to rubble.
The occupants couldn’t take anything out of their homes.
The SAPS from St Francis Bay and the local fire department were called to the scene and later Forensics was called in as well. Firefighters came fairly swiftly and after getting the fire under control and preventing it from burning other shacks, they discovered a body of a burnt man who had been on holiday for two weeks, visiting his brother for the holidays. The deceased man is from Keiskammahoek.
The homeless stayed with neighbours or friends for the remainder of the early morning. It is hoped the Kouga Municipality will make the Sea Vista Community Hall available for them to sleep in from today.
Spekboom relates that unfortunately the Forensics team unknowingly left part of the deceased’s head in the shack that was later found still among the rubble. The SAPS was this morning waiting for Forensics to return and remove the remains.
It is unknown for certain how the fire started but it is said by some a microwave oven caused the fire to start.
The desolate and homeless need food, clothing and bedding, for starters.
St Francis Chronicle spoke to Super Spar Village Square this morning and it has been arranged to have a trolley near the front door of Spar so that people in the St Francis community who wish to donate something can place it in the trolley. When the trolley is full, Spar will call Pastor Spekboom.
St Francis Chronicle 