By OBAKENG MAJE
The residents of Sonop Old Age Home in Madibeng, survived another fire blaze that erupted in the independent living unit on Monday morning at around 10:30am. The North West Social Development spokesperson, Petrus Siko said, their officials, who were on duty worked hard to extinguish the fire.
Siko said 34 residents were safely evacuated to other units.
“Six officials, who were reported to have inhaled smoke, were rushed to a nearby hospital to receive medical treatment. However, they were discharged later in the afternoon. As a department, we are so pleased that no injuries or fatalities were reported during this incident.
“Our social workers will continue to provide psychosocial support in the form of counselling to the elderly, including all our staff members at this facility. Equally important, we want to assure the people of the province that, the elderly and people with disabilities at this facility are safe from any harm,” he said.
Siko further said, they will continue to provide the best residential care to them in line with their norms and standards. He added that, it is not for the first time that the fire gutted a portion of Sonop Old Age Home.
“In October 2021, a fire broke out in one of the rooms of a female beneficiary and destroyed one room as well as some articles in that room. However, there was no loss of life or injuries to anyone in the inferno.
“Nearby residents came in and managed to extinguish the fire. The department is still to assess the extent of the damage and the affected area will be fixed soon. A case of arson has been opened at the local police in Madibeng,” said Siko.
The Guardian 