A visually impaired pensioner was plucked from her burning home by rescuers in Redcliffe, north of Durban, on Thursday.

Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said a team was dispatched after receiving frantic calls from residents who reported that a house had caught alight.

“While responding to the scene, Rusa officers received an update that an elderly woman was trapped in the house,” he said.

Balram said the team entered the 69-year-old woman's home and had to navigate through thick smoke until they found her lying on the floor of her bathroom.

“Other officers attempted to remove the bedroom windows to assist with the extrication of the woman. However, they were secured with burglar bars. After being removed from the residence, medics treated her for smoke inhalation,” said Balram.

He said fire fighters were on the scene trying to bring the blaze under control.

The cause of the fire had not yet been established.

TimesLIVE