An upmarket holiday home in Kei Mouth was destroyed in a huge blaze at the weekend.
Valuables – including paintings, antiques, a Toyota Fortuner SUV and an Isuzu double cab bakkie – were destroyed in the inferno on Saturday. The house, worth about R5m, is owned by a couple who live in the UK.
Working together, firefighters and community members managed to save three other houses that were under threat from the towering flames fuelled by strong winds.
Amathole District Municipality spokesperson Nonceba Vuso said it took 18 firefighters 10 hours to put out the blaze which threatened to spread out of control.
Vuso said the fire department received the call at 1.03pm and dispatched firefighters immediately.
Due to the magnitude of the blaze, the operators called for backup from Chintsa and Komga, who were called at 1.20pm.
“The fire started outside the yard as a grass fire. Due to strong winds it spread to the building through its thatch roof. We are unable to indicate the state of damage or the value of what has been lost in the fire.”
A neighbour who took par in the fire-fighting, Johan Jacobs, said: “The community was really great. Everyone came, including people from the townships, but we stood no chance. It was a big fire. Three houses were under threat. [The house next door] was luckily a facebrick house with metal gutters.”
Jacobs said the fire moved through the bush and travelled further down the main street, burning some Eskom power cables on the way.
“The wind was the problem, it was just too strong.
“The fire first destroyed the front section of the house, starting with the garage and the wooden doors.”
Jacob said the owners normally come to the house during the Christmas and Easter holiday breaks.
The Daily Dispatch made several efforts to reach the overseas owners of the house but was unable to get through on any of their numbers...