By Motshwari Mofokeng
Three separate vehicle fires kept emergency services busy across eThekwini on Saturday night, with two people suffering burn injuries and another incident allegedly linked to arson.
The incidents unfolded within just 19 minutes, between 20:53 and 21:12, in different parts of the city.
The first incident was reported at about 20:53 on the M41 northbound towards Cornubia. A Nissan reportedly veered out of control, struck a signboard pole and caught fire.Firefighters, Metro Police and Netcare 911 paramedics responded.
Two occupants sustained burn injuries and were treated at the scene. Their conditions and the hospital they were taken to could not be confirmed.The vehicle was extensively damaged.
Just 17 minutes later, at about 21:10, a Reaction Unit South Africa officer spotted a silver-grey Toyota Etios engulfed in flames on New Glasgow Road in Canelands.
The vehicle reportedly caught fire while being driven. No injuries were reported and the cause remained unknown.
Two minutes later, at about 21:12, emergency services were called to Queenfern in Phoenix after a vehicle caught fire inside a residential property.
A tenant allegedly told officers he heard a noise outside while watching television. When he investigated, he reportedly saw three suspects setting a silver-grey Toyota Yaris alight.The suspects allegedly jumped over the boundary wall and fled.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze, while the incidents remained under investigation.
The three fires serve as a stark reminder of how quickly an ordinary evening can turn into an emergency, leaving motorists, residents and emergency responders scrambling to prevent further harm.
Email: motshwari@onenews.co.za
