A 92-year-old woman smoking in her room caused a fire at a retirement village on Tuesday night, killing one woman and injuring nine others in Highlands North, Johannesburg.
”Apparently she was a very heavy smoker,” emergency services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said on Wednesday.
One woman died from burns after being overcome by smoke in the fire, which started at about 11pm.
Nine people are in the Johannesburg hospital for observation after suffering from smoke inhalation. One was seriously injured.
”We evacuated the entire village. We gave people tea to calm them down and they spent the night in the chapel.
”Three sections of the village were destroyed, causing damage of millions of rands,” said spokesperson Ashley Cook.
He said the flames were doused within an hour.
Midgley said other arrangements will be made by the retirement village to accommodate the residents. — Sapa