Reaction Unit SA rescues 2m black mamba in ceiling and tortoise during house fire in separate incidents
|Published
Durban — Private security company, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), rescued a 2m black mamba in a ceiling and a tortoise during a house fire on Friday in two separate incidents.
On Friday afternoon, Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said that a two-metre-long black mamba was captured in the ceiling of a conference centre in Buffelsdraai, Verulam.
He said Buffelsdraai Landfill employees contacted Rusa after a construction worker saw the snake.
“Reaction officer Nathi Ndaba was dispatched and on arrival removed several asbestos roof sheeting with the assistance of construction employees,” Balram said.
“The Rusa member thereafter captured and removed the reptile.”
In another incident, Balram said that Miya, a five-year-old tortoise was rescued by a reaction officer, also in Verulam.
Balram said that at 1.23pm, Rusa responded to a house on fire on Jacaranda Avenue.
Neighbours reported that a tortoise was seen in the yard of a home. Officers were further informed that the tortoise’s owners were not home at the time of the fire, he said.
“Miya was located after a brief search and removed from the area as the flames were being doused at the neighbouring property,” Balram said.
Earlier, Balram said emergency services were at a house on Jacaranda Avenue in Mountview.
A garage attached to a house was engulfed in flames, he said.
“Officers requested garden houses to douse the flames but were advised that the area was experiencing water cuts,” Balram said.
Firefighters arrived shortly after and were fighting the fire.
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