An elderly couple have died in a fire at the Sondela resort near Bela-Bela, reports Beeld.
The devastating blaze, which occurred on Saturday September 1, started outside the resort and swept through the premises with such speed that guests were not able to retrieve their belongings.
The report notes that resort staff managed to evacuate around 500 other guests but did not manage to save Ig van Rooyen, 76, and his wife Nita, 75, from Naboomspruit.
According to Ian Jansen van Rensburg, Sondela's managing director, by the time people realised that the couple were missing, their chalet had already caught fire.
20 people sustained light injuries, and 10 others were treated in hospital for burns.
An estimated 1 500 hectares of veld in the adjacent nature reserve had burned before fire fighters brought the fire under control, and resort staff later had to euthanase many severely injured wildlife species.
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