Plett mourns firefighting hero
THE Plettenberg Bay community mourned the passing of a firefighter who died while fighting the devastating blaze which has destroyed large parts of the coastal holiday town over the past three days.
The 24-year-old Bradley Richards, a Plettenberg Bay South Fire Management Unit volunteer, died in the George Mediclinic yesterday morning as a result of burns sustained during firefighting efforts on Wednesday.
A fire turned on him and his fellow firefighters in the middle of the Harkerville forest on the outskirts of the town.
The massive fire started in the Kruisfontein area outside Knysna, spread to Kranshoek outside Plettenberg Bay, burnt along the coast, cut inland and eventually moved towards the coastal holiday town by Wednesday night.
More than 100 residents gathered at the local fire station along Marine Drive where they left flowers and paid their final respects.
Otto Olivier, the head of operations at the Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association, told the crowd that Richards was a true friend and a fighter for his community.
Bitou mayor Peter Lobese said Plettenberg Bay had “lost a giant”. “He sacrificed himself for nothing but the love of his community,” he said. Bitou mayoral spokesperson Dumisani Mweba, who was with Richards and his colleagues during their firefighting efforts, said he was devastated.