KZN man tells of bid to save burning couple

A man has told of his dramatic bid to save the lives of a Chatsworth couple after their car burst into flames.

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Durban - A Park Rynie resident has told of his dramatic bid to save the lives of an elderly Chatsworth couple after their car burst into flames on Saturday.

But Lee-Roy Christianson’s efforts were in vain as Aroomugum “George” Moodley, 70, and his wife, Kistama “Baby” Moodley, 68, from Moorton, perished in the blaze.

“Nothing compares to trying to save someone’s life and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Christianson told POST.

The web designer had been standing outside his beachfront apartment on Saturday morning having a cup of coffee and a cigarette when he heard a loud explosion.

“It sounded like a car hit into a truck. I tried to look around but I didn’t see the car immediately. Then I saw white smoke coming from the vehicle,” he said.

“I shouted to my friend Ian (Vilonel) and we both ran to the scene. When we got there, the windows of the car were tinted so we couldn’t see inside the car. There were fishing rods sticking out from the front passenger seat.”

Christianson said the smoke was thick, so he and Vilonel picked up rocks and began hurling them at the car to break the windows.

“We managed to smash all the windows but we couldn’t see anything,” he said.

“The flames got higher when oxygen was let into the car and when that happened we had to back off. It was really horrific.”

Christianson said the fire brigade arrived within minutes of his call and managed to douse the flames.

“It’s only when the flames were out, we could see there was a person in the driver’s seat and, to our horror, another person in the back seat. I wish we could have done more.”

Christianson said he wondered whether the couple were conscious at the time of the explosion. “We arrived within 10 seconds of the explosion but there was no screaming.”

He said the images would stick in his mind for the rest of his life and he was considering undergoing trauma counselling.

“I was so focused to get them out. It haunts me... and the reality is that there was no possibility of doing anything more.”

The couple have been described by their children as inseparable - so much so that even when George went fishing, his wife always went along.

Little did they know that it would their last fishing trip at their favourite spot in Park Rynie.

The couple had arrived at the beach parking lot on Saturday at around 9.30am in their Hyundai i10.

Their eldest daughter, Cookie Naicker, said she and her four siblings rushed to the scene after being alerted about the fire.

“On the way there we prayed that it wasn’t them; no one should have to see that.”

She said the circumstances around the incident were still unclear and her family were awaiting details of the investigation from police.

Naicker said fishing was her parents’ favourite pastime.

“My mom never fished, but she always went along with my dad. They were inseparable.”

The couple, who celebrated 48 years of marriage in February, lived with their youngest daughter in Moorton.

Naicker said after their fishing trip they were going to visit relatives in Sezela and head back home later that same day.

Now their five children and nine grandchildren are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Relatives of the couple described them as “wonderful, giving and caring”.

“They were Sai devotees, but apart from charity, they cared about people. They were humble and loving,” said Naicker.

She said her dad, a retired Bata employee, had purchased the vehicle about three years ago.

“It was serviced regularly and my dad was very particular; he did not leave anything unchecked.”

When asked how the couple spent their last Friday evening at home, the youngest grandchild chipped in, saying: “Making us laugh. Ma always had jokes.”

According to Naicker the couple enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren playing cards and offering advice.

“My mother would never let you leave here without a cup of tea or a plate of food. My dad was an in-house doctor, always offering advice. They were the best parents anyone could ask for. They gave us everything. It was a horrible way for them to go,” said the couple’s twin daughters, Linda Naicker and Lena Pillay.

Their funerals took place on Tuesday.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said the bodies were “completely burnt”.

An inquest docket had been opened.

The car was impounded for investigation, he said, adding the cause of the fire was yet to be established.

Hyundai SA and AA respond

There have been reports on the internet of Hyundai i10s bursting into flames, including in New Dehli in October, when a 22-year-old student suffered burn injuries.

But Hyundai South Africa claims it has no knowledge of any such reports, or even of the local incident .

"We have sent an enquiry to Hyundai Motor Company in India and are awaiting their feedback," said the company's SA marketing director, Stanley Anderson.

"We have not had one incident (prior to the one that you've informed us about) in our market and there are currently 40 261 i10s on our roads," Anderson said.

He added: "There have been no recalls/advisories from Hyundai Motor Company in this regard.

"An investigation into the local incident will only be done once an official complaint/request has been lodged with ourselves.

"An independent fire forensic investigator, endorsed by the MIO (Motor Industry Ombudsman) will be used to conduct an investigation, if required."

The Automobile Association of South Africa's Philip Purnell said they were not aware of any other incidents where a car of this model had caught alight.

He said most modern cars were well designed and tested, but within their life, there were any number of reasons why they could catch fire. Some of these included, but were not limited to:

* Bad wiring of an after-market accessory.

* Poor vehicle maintenance or maintenance carried out by an untrained person.

* A vehicle that has been badly rebuilt after a crash without proper care of electrical and fuel systems.

* Damage to electrical wires or systems caused by rodents nesting in or damaging the car.

* Fuel leaks.

* Parking in long dry grass when the car's exhaust system is hot, specifically the catalytic converter.

Purnell offered some tips:

* Don't skimp on maintenance; take your car to a franchise dealer or qualified and approved professional.

* Be aware of any tell-tale smells - fuel, hot wires etc - and stop immediately to iinvestigate.

* Listen for “sparks” - you may have loose wires.

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