Fire kills 3 year boy old whilst asleep – another 19 shacks and 1 house damaged devoured: 32 homeless

MILNERTON: At 23:08 on Friday, 18 January 2013, a fire was reported that occurred off Potsdam Road, Du Noon, Milnerton. The fire destroyed 5 shacks leaving 20 people displaced. No injuries were reported.

BELHAR: At 00:36 on Saturday, 19 January 2013 a fire ruined one shack resulting in 3 people left homeless at the Freedom Farm Informal Settlement, Stellenbosch Arterial Road [adjacent to the Cape Town International Airport]. No injuries were sustained.

STRAND: A blaze damaged one formal house and a backyard dwelling at Silwanyana Street, Asanda Village, Strand, that left two people displaced [Saturday, 19 January 2013 – Time: 01:23]. No persons sustained any injuries.

MFULENI: At 01:34 on Saturday, 19 January 2013 a fire destroyed six structures used by vendors. Another structure that was used by the community as a church was completely wrecked by the fire at Inciba Street, Extension 6, Mfuleni.

GUGULETHU: Four wood and iron structures were damaged by a fire that occurred at 02:37 on Saturday, 19 January 2013 at the Boys Town Informal Settlement), off Old Klipfontein Road Mission Station Road, Gugulethu, leaving five people homeless.

MITCHELL’S PLAIN: At 07:49 on Saturday, 19 January 2013 a fire shattered one shack, leaving 2 people displaced at Freedom Park Informal Settlement, Tottenham Street, Tafelsig, Mitchell’s Plain. A 3 year old boy [Carlton-Lee Botha] has died in the fire. It is believed that he was asleep in the shack with his father [Hilton Botha] when the fire occurred. The circumstances surrounding the occurrence are unclear and the authorities will investigate the incident.

The City’s disaster response teams assisted the fire victims with the supply of food parcels, blankets, baby packs, clothing and building material; including emergency psychosocial trauma counselling.

The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre encourages residents to be fire safe when working with open flames. When going to bed, residents should isolate electrical devices and extinguish gas burners, candles, lamps and paraffin stoves in order to prevent fires.

For more information on how to prevent fires please visit City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre on www.capetown.gov.za/disaster.

End

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

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