#KnysnaFire: Firefighter was a 'very passionate young man'

Knysna fire fanned by Cape Storm in the Western Cape

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#KnysnaFire: Firefighter was a 'very passionate young man'

9 June 2017 4:24 PM

Christo Theron, operations director of First Care, has described 24-year-old volunteer firefighter Bradley Richards - who died after sustaining burns to 70% of his body while battling the Knysna blaze - as a "very passionate young man".

Richards and his colleague Ian Barnard, who were fighting the fire in the Harkerville Forest, were caught by the flames while working with Plett South Fire Management Unit on Wednesday morning.

The conditions were that anything could happen at any stage.
— Christo Theron

Theron said that Richards had worked with both First Care and Plett South Fire Management Unit for quite some time, and told Pippa Hudson that both teams were "devastated" by his death.

The type of person he was, he always wanted to help.
— Christo Theron

Theron revealed that First Care and the Eden Lions were in the process of setting up a fund - to be named The Bradley Richards Fund - to assist with medical expenses for Richards and Barnard.

Moving forward, he said, the Fund would assist injured volunteer firefighters and their families.

Written by: Candace Whitehead

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