Three months after a devastating fire killed eight people in the Abrahams family home, the house in Macbeth Street, Eastridge, is being rebuilt.
On Thursday September 29, an emotional Patrick Abrahams walked through his property over a heap of rubble and stopped to watch the builders as they went about their work. Standing against the half bricked wall, he said:
“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of my family. I miss them so much.”
Mr Abrahams lost his three youngest children, Kyle, 18, Jos-hua,13, and their sister Nikita, 3, as well as his three grandchildren Tamia Swartz, 2, Cameron Abrahams, 6, and Elmarie Abrahams, 5, in the blaze on Saturday June 11 (“Eight die in Eastridge blaze”, Plainsman, June 15).
Before the incident, about 14 family members lived in the house, which had three bedrooms, a dining room, kitchen and bathroom. The privately-owned house was insured and reconstruction is expected to be completed by the end of November.
According to provincial police communications officer, Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut, SAPS forensic fire experts had confirmed that an electrical fault had caused the fire.
“I am thankful and pleased that the house will be rebuilt, but it won’t be the same without my family who have passed on,” Mr Abrahams said.
“We used to do everything together - eat, pray and even play games together. I miss them tremendously,” he said.
He is living with his four children and two grandchildren in a wendy house situated metres from his house. His daughter Shanice said she would like to thank everyone who had supported them throughout the months since the tragedy. “We are very grateful. We are coping and are taking each day as it comes. I miss my family, because we were very close and loving. We don’t have much, but we trust that things will work out,” she said. Ms Abrahams said that there is a three-year old and
six -year old who are in need of clothing, and has appealed for any donations. If you would like to help the family, you can call Shanice Abrahams at 073 984 1535.
