Daughter sees farmer die in veld fire
Teen sees fire go over dad ‘like a wave’
13 August 2012
published by www.news24.com
South Africa–– Johannesburg – A 16-year-old girl could only watch as her father burnt to death as they fought a veld fire on their farm in Tzaneen.
Anicka Brandt was helping her father, Thinus, fight a veld fire on their farm when the flames turned against him and he was unable to get away, reported Beeld.
Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the farmer drove towards the fire on his tractor and tried to put out the flames with water, but the wind was too strong.
The flames werent so bad and couldve been put out but it was the wind that made it worse, said Thinuss wife, Ansie.
She said her daughter told her that her husband had got down from the tractor when he saw the flames coming towards him.
But it was too late. My daughter said the fire went over him like a wave, she said.
The teen was given a sedative and her mother sadly noted that she wished her daughter had not seen her father burn to death.
Devastating veld fires have been raging in the Tzaneen area in Limpopo since last week.
