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Johannesburg - A man who risked his life to save two women and a 4-year-old boy from burning to death says he was very scared, but would do it again.
Jason Joubert, 29, from Ruimsig in Roodepoort on the West Rand, said on Tuesday that he couldn’t have done otherwise.
Over the weekend, he broke down the door of a burning townhouse and ran inside to save the toddler, his mother and his aunt.
Joubert and his wife, Tersia, were watching TV at about 22:30 on Saturday when they heard someone scream.
“When we got outside, we saw one of the residents of our townhouse complex come running down the road,” said Joubert.
The resident, Harold Mashiae, lives with his wife, Mbali, and their son Keagile about six houses away from Joubert.
Family trapped in burning house
“Some of the other neighbours told us Harold’s house was on fire. I asked him where his family was, and he answered hysterically that they were still trapped in the house.”
Mashiae jumped from the balcony in order to get help, and was injured in the process.
Joubert ran towards the house and used a fire extinguisher to break down the front door.
“Inside I saw the big gas heater (which apparently exploded and caused the blaze). By that time the flames had spread across most of the ground floor.”
Joubert realised he would have to use another entrance in order to reach the stairs which would lead him to the first floor.
“The other neighbours and I broke a window at the back door and I went upstairs. The smoke was dense and I looked in all the rooms, but didn’t see anyone.”
He went back downstairs to ask Mashiae whether his family might also have been able to get out of the house, but he said they’re definitely inside.
“I went back upstairs and finally found them outside on the balcony, where they were trying to escape the smoke.”
'Very scared'
Joubert picked up Keagile, and told Mashiae’s wife and her sister to follow him. “Everyone was able to get outside safely, and then I went to my house to fetch a garden hose. When I returned, the first floor was also engulfed in flames, barely five minutes after we left.”
According to Joubert, there were times when he was “very scared”.
“Afterwards my wife said she’s proud of me, but I must never ever do it again. But how could I have done anything else? I couldn’t just leave them there, and I would do it again.”
Cherise Diedericks, a neighbour and spokesperson for the family, said Mashiae was admitted to the Wilgeheuwel hospital.
“We hope he’ll be discharged by this weekend. He wasn’t seriously injured, but we suspect he has significant burns on his hands.”


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