Candle sparks fire at mall

2008-01-22 00:00

Sphumelele Mngoma

A CANDLE lit by a person living in the refuse area opposite the parking lot of the Nedbank Plaza Mall sparked a fire last night.

May Page, who lives opposite the area where the fire started, said she saw the smoke when she went to open the gate after Scottsville was subject to a power cut.

“I saw smoke coming out and I ran to see what was going on.”

Page said she was surprised not to see anyone coming out after the Enforce security guards broke the gate down in order to rescue the people believed to be living inside.

“No one came out, which seems strange to me. I see them during the day, going through the trash looking for food and bottles to sell. But they always sleep in there at night.”

Fire department station officer Privian Singh said a bed in the tunnel was set ablaze by the candle.

“He had a chair, clothes and a microwave in there. It definitely looked like he had a house arrangement going on in there.”

The firefighters were able to put out the fire before it spread.

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