A woman reportedly suffered third-degree burns on the Sea Point Promenade on Friday evening in what may or may not have been a freak accident.
According to community Facebook group The Atlantic Seaboard Community Forum, she was engulfed in flames after a flammable substance among her possessions ignited.
The incident happened on the grass area opposite the Twin Towers apartment block in Three Anchor Bay.
Passersby were able to assist the victim and extinguish the fire, wrote group admin Peter Flentov.
Peter Flentov:
“A person on the scene reported that it appeared as if the person had been covered by an accelerant of some sort.”
More details were provided in the comments section by people who had been at the scene.
Angela Brown, who was driving past and stopped to help, said the woman was ‘engulfed in flames, screaming and rolling on the ground.’
Angela Brown:
“We immediately called Sea Point police (who said an ambulance will take too long), the Fire Department (who were unresponsive) and Avenue response team, who called medics to the scene.”
Describing the ‘terrible experience’, group member Franki Kotzé explained how passersby helped extinguish the flames before fire and medical services arrived.
She said they couldn’t use their own clothing as most people wear synthetic jackets and sportswear when walking on the Prom.
Franki Kotzé:
“Luckily there was a big heap of sand and we used that along with her rolling and some people had water to get most of the flames dead. Someone came out of nowhere with a extinguisher and put the last flames out.”
“She was fully conscious afterwards, most probably from extreme adrenaline and spoke back to one of the girls asking her questions.”
The Facebook post said that the condition of the victim is not known at this stage.
In an update, Ward Councillor Nicola Jowell reported that the woman had been rushed to hospital with severe burns.
Responding to concerns raised by residents, Jowell said this was not a criminal incident.
-EWN
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