Brave volunteer firefighters put lives on the line

For five days, volunteer firefighters Eduardo Strauss, Shirwin Beukes, and Chestvin Basson, alongside Rehoboth town council officials, police officers, farmers, and other good Samaritans, tirelessly fought to get one of the country’s toughest blazes under control.During that time, not a single well-equipped fire truck or appropriately dressed firefighter was in sight, despite the fires burning for days.On Friday morning, the fire raged spectacularly, leaving a graveside of farmland in its wake as it moved in a south-westerly direction.Strauss, Beukes and Basson, who had been on the scene for days, battled it out with a 2x4 pickup truck and a trailer carrying 3 000 litres of water.Later, they were forced to abandon their vehicle to continue the fight on the Namibian Police’s 4x4 pickup, which was more suitable for the terrain but had less water-carrying capacity.A Namibian Sun team was on the scene on Friday, and, at one point, the team’s vehicle became stuck and they were left with no choice but to jump onto the police vehicle.Members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) eventually joined efforts on the ground.FrustrationsFarmer Nicolaas Olivier, his son Joseph, and nephew Heiko Isaacs joined to fight the fire but also had to abandon the fight when their car broke down.As a result, the remaining team was forced to risk their lives, while experiencing a shortage of water and weak water pressure.What aggravated the situation was a 400-metre stretch to the border fence, running alongside the B1 highway, where the team collected water from another vehicle.This vehicle was, at times, not yet ready with the much-needed water, which further delayed firefighting efforts.Back at the frontlines, firefighters tried their best while struggling with the low water pressure in the pipes.Each time they returned from collecting water, the fire swirled aggressively, like a theatre curtain, while the wind continued to fuel the fire.Positive outlookNevertheless, the team remained in high spirits, despite the terrible onslaught of the fire, numerous challenges, and lack of sleep, and was extremely focused at all times.Basson, who wore worn-out &#039;vellies&#039; instead of heavy-duty shoes, returned from the fire with his nose, cheeks and arms covered in soot.His fellow firefighter, Strauss, wore a bandage around his hand, but he continued fighting the fire without flinching."We gathered at the gate last night (Thursday) to thank everyone for their efforts and said our goodbyes, and just after that, the fire started again. At the end of the day, it all boils down to a brave heart and the grace of God. "And most of all, great teamwork from everyone."The fire was eventually brought under control after 17:00 on Friday afternoon, leaving a black blanket of destruction and rows of smouldering tree stumps in its wake.Under careMeanwhile, famous plastic surgeon and burn specialist from Tygerberg Hospital near Cape Town, Dr Wayne Kleintjies, who hails from Rehoboth, on Sunday told Namibia Media Holdings that Rehoboth mayor, Enrico (Toes) Junius, and his friend, Quinton (Doefie) Diergaardt, are currently in the intensive care unit of Life Kingsbury Hospital.Kleintjies said their condition is critical but stable. Junius suffered 60% burns and Diergaardt 55%.Junius and Diergaardt were engulfed in flames on the former&#039;s farm, Waldesruhe, south of Rehoboth on Wednesday afternoon when they were fighting fires.They are treated by lung specialists, internists, and kidney specialists."Depending on how deep the burns are, infection control can be a challenge," Kleintjies said.jemima@namibiansun.com

Brave volunteer firefighters put lives on the line

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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Brave volunteer firefighters put lives on the line

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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