In September 2011 two thatch bungalows at our Family Bush Lodge just north of Britz on the Thabazimbi road north west of Pretoria were destroyed by a raging veld fire on a windy day. Staff at the lodge called us in Johannesburg as the fire approached and we all felt helpless as burning embers flew over 100 meters through the air and unfortunately landed on the first bungalow. Fuelled by a very strong wind the thatch roof caught alight and no amount of water could stop the blaze. Unfortunately, the fire spread to the second bungalow 20 meters away and within an hour both units were gutted by the fire. I drove up to inspect the damage the following morning and it was rather depressing to see the pile of smouldering rubble and picture what was there before.
Fortunately, we had arranged adequate insurance cover on both the structures & their contents with a specialist thatch insurer and hopefully by mid February 2012 the two bungalows will be rebuilt & refurnished. The only way we can reduce the risk of a recurrence during a veld fire would be to install a thatch roof water drenching system whereby staff on site could make sure that the thatch roofs of all buildings are watered and kept 100% wet until the veld fire has passed by.
We honestly never imagined this happening to us, so never say never and make sure your insurance matters are up to date and in order all the time. At Barker Insurance Brokers every client has their own dedicated personal insurance consultant who is available to discuss insurance matters when required.