Miya the tortoise rescued from KZN house fire

Miya the tortoise was lucky that neighbours told Rusa staff that a tortoise was still in the yard. RUSA officer Chris Pillay is seen with the rescued tortoise. Picture: Reaction Unit South Africa

Miya the tortoise was lucky that neighbours told Rusa staff that a tortoise was still in the yard. RUSA officer Chris Pillay is seen with the rescued tortoise. Picture: Reaction Unit South Africa

Published Apr 12, 2024

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Miya, a five-year-old female tortoise was rescued from a house fire in Verulam, north of Durban on Friday.

Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) said they responded to reports of a fire in Jacaranda Avenue, in Mount View, Verulam just after 1pm.

“On arrival, Reaction Officers discovered a garage attached to a house engulfed in flames,” explained Rusa boss, Prem Balram.

“Officers requested garden hoses to douse the flames, but were advised that the area was experiencing water cuts.

A house caught fire in Mountview Verulam on Friday. Picture: RUSA

“Neighbours further reported that a tortoise was abandoned in the yard when the home was evacuated during the fire.

“Miya was located after a brief search and removed from the area as the flames were being doused.”

He said firefighters arrived shortly thereafter and are in the process of battling the blaze.

Police were also on scene.

Balram said the cause of the fire was not established, adding that there were no injuries reported.

A few years ago, a half-blind dog was hailed a hero after saving the life of her owner whose Cape Town home went up in flames.

Pepper, a nine-year-old Maltese poodle, came to the rescue of her owner Abby Wilson, 56, who was asleep when flames engulfed her home in 2018.

Three other dogs were killed in the blaze.

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