Weddings rings, cars, clothing and other possessions were burnt during a devastating runaway veld fire which razed the popular Bushman’s Nek Berg and Trout Resort in Underberg on Friday, leaving many guests with only the pyjamas they were wearing.
Despite the fire destroying most of the resort, First Group, which owns Bushman’s Nek, has expressed relief that no lives were lost, with guests, staff and animals on the site all escaping to safety.
Rioma Cominelli, First Group’s head of strategy and communication, said on Sunday: “Despite remaining abreast of developments from the early hours, nothing could have prepared me for the smouldering black ruins that lay in the place of the former iconic homely family resort that is just as special to me as it is to our thousands of precious guests.”
Cominelli, who is the wife of First Group chair Stuart Lamont, said guests’ sentimental and valuable personal belongings were consumed by “the horrific runaway veld fire driven by unimaginably high wind speeds”.
“We are so grateful God's hand saved every life on the resort, who all escaped with not more than minor injuries.
“All animals in New England were also led out to safety. Sadly, other farmers were not as fortunate and there has been a loss of livestock,” said Cominelli.
Providing details about the fire, she said despite regularly inspecting the position of the fire “our team, with other farmers, were confident the well-established fire breaks and that the fire was on the opposite side of the road to the resort would not pose any immediate danger to the resort.
“Unfortunately it appears that within a few minutes high-speed winds accelerated the speed of the fire as it reached the hill where the resort is located, blowing large tufts of burning grass and parts of hay bales across the road onto the roofing of the log cabins, which then fuelled the spread very quickly, making it impossible to contain.
It is difficult to know what to do in these circumstances. My gut feeling was to put on clothes and pack our belongings whereas others slept through the awful winds and left in their PJs with no belongings.
— Barbara Whiting, resort guest
“The fire department was present but soon acknowledged they stood little chance due to the winds and extent of the fire,” said Cominelli.
She said several guests, who chose to self-evacuate, returned to the resort to assist others whose cars had been burnt and helped staff with lifts to their hometowns.
Cominelli said the customer care department would reach out to affected guests and staff from Monday.
Guest Barbara Whiting, who self-evacuated, shared her experience on social media, saying she was in disbelief.
“At 1.15am we self-evacuated from Bushmen’s Nek Hotel in the southern Drakensberg as a runaway fire fed by 80km/h winds reached the hotel.
“The valley was alive with fire in minutes. The six to eight log cabins went up in flames, and we watched the progress from our chalet, but when the flames came across the lawn, we started to evacuate.
“Sky high flames shot across the roof as we drove out and our room was engulfed with smoke by the time we left.
“Smoke and flames were everywhere as we left the property along with about 10 other cars, and we were soon out of danger. We met all the other hotel guests at a garage in Underberg, many in pyjamas with no belongings.”
Whiting said she and her husband Stan were grateful to be alive after the ordeal.
“So grateful we made the right decisions and got out in time. It is difficult to know what to do in these circumstances. My gut feeling was to put on clothes and pack our belongings whereas others slept through the awful winds and left in their PJs with no belongings.”
Nearby SilverStreams Self-Catering Accommodation and Caravan Park also suffered damage before the fire was contained.
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