The young Elspark hero smiles shyly when asked about the day he saved a woman from burning to death.<\/p>\n
Jeandr\u00e9 Potgieter (14), is humble and modest about rescuing the woman from a burning house in Warbler Street, Elspark, last Saturday.<\/p>
The GCN broke the story online on www.germistoncitynews.co.za on the day the fire took place and caught up with Jeandr\u00e9 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
By that time, the youngster was still not really thinking about his act as heroic.<\/p>
The Grade Nine Ho\u00ebrskool Oosterlig pupil tells the tale of his heroics in a matter-of-fact way.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a call on the CPF radio and my grandfather Corrie, uncle Cornel and I responded,\u201d said Jeandr\u00e9.<\/p>\n
The household are members of the Elspark\/Freeway Park CPF.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we got there, a woman next door shouted that there were people in the house.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy grandfather and uncle tried to break through the gate but they couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next thing, Corrie said, Jeandr\u00e9 was over the wall and was running to the front of the house.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entire front of the house was in flames and Jeandr\u00e9 then ran around the back,\u201d Corrie said.<\/p>\n
Jeandr\u00e9 takes up the story again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran into the kitchen and saw a woman standing there in the smoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grabbed her and then dragged her out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cornel ran to assist Jeandr\u00e9 and then Corrie took the woman across the road and covered her up with his jacket as he said she was ice cold.<\/p>\n
By this time firefighters and paramedics from the Wadeville Fire Station had responded, as well as paramedics from Netcare 911.<\/p>\n
Both the woman and Jeandr\u00e9 were treated on scene for smoke inhalation and then transported to hospital \u2013 Jeandr\u00e9 to Sunward Park Hospital and the woman to OR Tambo Memorial Hospital for further care.<\/p>\n
Jeandr\u00e9 suffers from asthma, but luckily with quick treatment for the smoke inhalation he was released from hospital soon after his admittance and went straight back to the scene of the fire.<\/p>\n