With no firefighting experience or knowledge beyond a few YouTube videos, a Durban chef faced death several times in rescuing one of the owners of a landmark Durban restaurant when it burned down on Thursday.
The fire started at the back of the Delphi Greek Taverna and spread to the entire building. The restaurant owners – Doddy, Maria and Manuel Teranes – live upstairs and had closed the shop during the lunch break.
Doddy, 74, said she was checking up on her parrot, Charlie Boy, when smoke began filling the room. She panicked and began shouting for help. Her brother Manuel, who was downstairs, had grabbed a hose pipe to douse the flames he had seen growing.
Chef springs into action
Ayakha Godlwana, 32, is a chef at the Palm Terrace Cafe, three properties away from the taverna. Godlwana lives in Morningside and has a seven-year-old daughter. He said staff smelled smoke and then realised a building was on fire. Shopkeepers nearby soon alerted one another, and they ran to the restaurant.
Godlwana was still preparing a meal at the back of the cafe when he got the message from his colleagues, and rushed off to assist.
“Nobody knew how serious the fire was. When I got to the restaurant, it was closed. I then saw a side gate and some people running around frantically. One of them (Maria) was crying and told me her sister was stuck upstairs and needed rescuing,” he said.
‘Overwhelmed with smoke’
Godlwana told Maria he had never done this before, but he would try his best to get her out. He climbed the flight of stairs but found the door was locked when he got to the landing. Struggling to breathe, he went back downstairs, where Maria gave him the keys.
“I could not see in front of me. I asked Maria to give me a layout of the house so I knew where to go. I have never been in this house, so I did not know my way,” he said.
“I tried to get up the stairs again but was overwhelmed with smoke. I was suffocating. Mucus and tears streamed down my face. I rushed down the stairs again to get some air,” he said.
When he got outside, Maria pleaded with him to help get her sister out. Godlwana told her it was too dangerous, but he would give it another try. He said he thought of his own family and the community reaction if something would happen to Doddy. He then realised he had to save her.
Second attempt
Manuel handed him a hosepipe. Godlwana hosed himself down and then began spraying water onto the ceiling and doorway so he could get onto the staircase landing.
“The flames were huge, and there was thick smoke. The hosepipe also reached its maximum length. I was not sure if the woman was conscious. I realised I could not leave her. I called out to her and then sprayed water on the ceiling. I asked her if she could feel the water droplets. When she replied, I felt relieved because she was not far off from the doorway,” he explained.
Godlwana said he heard Doddy’s weak voice and encouraged her to get on the floor and crawl towards him. He kept spraying water onto the ceiling to help her find her way. He grabbed her hand when she got closer and told her to climb up onto his back.
Staring death in the face
“I had to find my way back. I held onto the hose pipe to guide me out. I was disoriented. I left her with Maria. I went back into the restaurant to try and stop the fire from spreading to the gas bottles,” he said.
Godlwana, who has worked at restaurants and B&Bs for years, was trying to prevent an explosion. But his heroics did not end there. While he was in the restaurant, the door closed behind him, leaving him in darkness, and a room filling up with smoke.
“The fear of death dawned on me. I could not see what direction I was taking. I crawled on the floor and found the door, but the handle was missing. Adrenaline overcame me. I mustered up the strength to kick down the door. Then I was sitting outside, panting for breath, thinking of what I had put myself through. Everything went according to plan by the will of God,” he said.
Godlwana, who said he was not injured, then heard dogs barking and helped the family remove their dogs, Bella and Mishka. He said he attributes his fitness and agility to his daily walks. Also, he watched many videos on YouTube about similar incidents and rescues.
Godlwana met Doddy Teranes on Friday outside the shop, where her family thanked him.
The eThekwini Municipality said the Fire Services brought the fire under control within approximately 20 minutes. The municipality said three fire engines, a water carrier, a foam carrier and a command vehicle were dispatched immediately.
A dangerous situation
“Crews arrived on scene and found the building well alight, with the fire having already burnt through the roof. Four hose lines were deployed, and four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the structure to fight the blaze at close quarters,” the municipality stated.
The municipality commended the brave men and women of its emergency services for their swift and disciplined response.
“Entering a burning building that has already lost its roof is among the most dangerous work our firefighters do, and the speed of the response limited further spread. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this stage and will be investigated by fire safety officers,” the municipality said.
zainul.dawood@iol.co.za
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Dining and Cooking