Woman killed in runaway grass fire
Eight women were injured and one died in a runaway grass fire in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve.
|||Johannesburg – Eight women were injured and one died in a runaway grass fire in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve on the borders of the Lesedi and Ekurhuleni municipalities on Monday, Ekurhuleni Disaster & Emergency Management Services (DEMS) said.
DEMS spokesperson William Ntladi said the fire was reported at around 3.45pm on Monday afternoon.
“On arrival, paramedics and firefighters…all worked tirelessly together to provide pre-hospital medical treatment to the injured. All patients sustained facial and full thickness burn wounds on various parts of their bodies,” he said in a statement.
Ntladi said the women were stabilised on the scene and seven were transported by ambulance for further medical care while one was airlifted.
“As per information on scene, all the injured and the deceased, were busy cutting savanna grass used for thatch roofs. As per information received on scene, they were all concentrating on their grass cutting duties when they were alerted by strong runaway blazes,” he said.
“Apparently they all tried to outrun it but failed. The cause of the fire is undetermined.”
He said that an inquest docket has been opened.
African News Agency (ANA)