Lovers’ tiff leaves 15 homeless

FIRE DAMAGE: Helpers clean up the remains of one of the shacks which were badly damaged by fire in Helenvale. Picture: IVOR MARKMAN

Houses, shacks burnt down, possessions destroyed after resident’s fight with boyfriend

A LOVERS’ tiff – after which a woman set her shack on fire – has left about 15 residents of one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s northern areas’ poorest parts destitute after the fire razed two houses and four other shacks.

The fire, which started late on Friday night, saw residents lose all their valuables and belongings, including a brand new fridge bought earlier that day and children’s school books.

The 21-year-old woman, believed to have deliberately set her shack on fire after an altercation with her boyfriend, will appear in the Gelvandale Magistrate’s Court today on charges of arson. She cannot be named until she appears in court.

The fire quickly spread to a house and other shacks in the yard, before spreading to the adjoining property and its shacks.

Nobody was injured in the blaze, but residents were distraught about losing their homes and belongings.

Elaine Adams, whose house was completely gutted, said they had lost everything.

“A girl who was living in one of the shacks at the back of our yard was [allegedly] drunk and decided to set the shack on fire. We lost everything – all my children’s books and belongings. My father, who is 71 years old, also lost everything. He was staying in one of the shacks attached to the house,” she said.

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