eThekwini firefighters rescue woman from burning church

A woman was rescued from a burning church in Umbilo after a fire engulfed a double-storey building housing a tyre fitment centre and place of worship on Wednesday night.

eThekwini Municipality said its Fire and Emergency Services crews were dispatched to the building at the corner of Umbilo Road and Che Guevara Road after the City’s Emergency Call Centre received reports of the blaze at about 8:20 pm on October 14.

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On arrival, firefighters found both floors of the building alight.

The ground floor housed a tyre fitment centre where tyres were stored, while a church occupied the upper floor.

“Working through intense heat, thick smoke, and highly combustible material, firefighters entered the building and rescued a woman trapped inside the church,” the municipality said.

The woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to hospital for further care.

Crews brought the blaze under control within 10 minutes of arrival and prevented it from spreading to neighbouring properties.

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No fatalities or further injuries were reported.

Possible incendiary device under investigation

The cause of the fire is under investigation, with preliminary information suggesting that an incendiary device may have been thrown at the building.

Fire investigators remained at the scene to establish the cause and origin of the blaze.

The municipality urged residents and business owners, particularly those storing flammable materials, to ensure that appropriate fire safety measures were in place to protect lives and property.

Anyone needing to report a fire or other emergency can contact the City’s Emergency Call Centre on 031 361 0000.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the South African Police Service (SAPS).