COMMUNITY NEWS - Residents of Knysna would have witnessed a large plume of smoke looming over the coastline of Brenton-on-Sea on Friday, June 25.

The blaze which caused the smoke started around 11:00 on Thursday, June 24 at the Brenton-on-Sea garden refuse dump. Brenton-on-Sea residents believe that the fire was started by children playing in the dump although this has not been confirmed. The municipal Fire Department arrived at the scene to control the blaze after receiving the call that there was a fire. The fire was put out and stabilised by 20:30 and the Fire Department returned to the scene every two hours from then on to check that the fire had not relit. Upon their return at 02:30 the Fire Department found that another fire had been lit in a separate area to the initial fire.

By the morning of Friday, June 25, most of the fire had been put out and municipal fire services were on site to monitor the blaze. Members of the Brenton-on-Sea Rate Payers Association showed concern for the weary fire fighters and set up a coffee and tea station for them at the Brenton-on-Sea Community Hall adjacent to the dump site.
Confirming the incident, a municipal spokesperson stated that a charge of arson has been opened with the SAPS, and that members of the municipal Fire Department were on 24-hour alert at the site to monitor the fire.

SAPS spokesperson, Constable Chris Spies stated that a case of Malicious Damage to Property was opened following the incident and that there was no evidence indicating arson. The SAPS are investigating the incident further.

Article: Michael Lockett

(Courtesy of Knysna-Plett Herald of Thursday, 1 July. The Knsyna-Plett Herald is one of the George Herald's sister papers.)


Smoke from a blaze at the Brenton on Sea garden refuse dump filled the sky on Friday, June 25.