Fire destroys 2 hostels, 5 formal houses and 95 informal houses leaving 341 people displaced over the weekend – disaster response teams assists victims

1. MITCHELL’S PLAIN: At 16:25 on Friday, 14 December 2012, one formal house caught alight in Westridge, Mitchell’s plain.

2. EERSTE RIVER: At 16:31 on Friday, 14 December 2012, three formal houses and five informal dwellings were damaged by fire in Amemoon Street, Kleinvlei leaving forty six people displaced.

3. BONTEHEUWEL: One informal dwelling destroyed by fire at the rear of a formal house in Bonteheuwel Avenue, Bonteheuwel in the early hours of Saturday morning, 15 December 2012 leaving six people displaced.

4. BELHAR: One formal house caught fire at 39 Batavia Street, Ext.13, Belhar at 20:00 on Saturday, 15 December 2012. Six people were left homeless.

5. PHILIPPI: At 06:16 on Sunday morning, 16 December 2012, five informal dwellings in Symphony Road, Philippi were destroyed by fire leaving five people displaced.

6. PHILIPPI: At 00:41 on Monday morning, 17 December 2012 a fire destroyed five informal dwellings leaving eleven people displaced at the Samora Machel Informal Settlement, Off Vanguard Drive, Philippi.

7. PHILIPPI: Six informal dwellings destroyed by fire, leaving twelve people displaced in the early hours of Monday morning, 17 December 2012 at the Marcus Garvey Informal Settlement, Off Eisleben Road, Philippi.

8. BLUE DOWNS: At 04:24 on Monday morning, 17 December 2012, one informal dwelling was destroyed by fire leaving three people displaced at Bardale Informal Settlement, Fairdale, Blue Downs.

9. GUGULETHU: At 13:51 on Monday 17 December 2012, two hostels and three informal dwellings were damaged by fire. Fourteen people were left displaced at NY5 J3821 and J3840 Elite Hostel in Emaplandeni Crescent, Gugulethu.

10. MFULENI: At 19:30 on Monday, 17 December 2012 a fire destroyed sixty informal dwellings leaving two hundred people displaced at Ext. 6, Baba Street, Mfuleni.

11. VALHALLA PARK: Thirty Eight people were left displaced after nine of their informal dwellings were destroyed by fire at 02:10 on Tuesday morning, 18 December 2012.

The City’s Disaster Response teams assisted the 341 victims of fires with the supply of food parcels, blankets, clothing and building material.

The causes of the incidents are unconfirmed.

The authorities will probe an investigation into the spate of these fire occurrences over this weekend.

Issued by: Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

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Source: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects & Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town