Fires destroys 41 shacks – 105 homeless and 2 people dies in Cape Town

KHAYELITSHA:

At 22:58 on Saturday, 05 January 2013 a fire destroyed 3 shacks at P747 Xhala Crescent, Khayelithsa [near Solani Drive] leaving 13 adults displaced. One adult male suffered smoke inhalation and burn wounds. One adult male Anele Mkele (24 years) was overcome by smoke causing him to suffer from asphyxiation resulting him been trapped. He died as a result of severe burn wounds. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

The second fire occurred at 23:29 on Saturday, 05 January 2013 at LP Section, Site B, Lindelani Park, off Pama Road Road, Khayelitsha. Upon approach by the Fire & Rescue Services the flames were visible from a distance. The occupants initiated their own firefighting efforts by using water buckets in an attempt to extinguish the fire. The blaze destroyed 26 shacks resulting in 60 people left homeless. It is suspected that a stove was left unattended and exploded and setting the wood and iron structures alight.

The third fire occurred at 03:57 on Sunday, 06 January 2013 at TR Section, off Mew Way, Khayelitsha. The fire wrecked 12 shacks leaving 12 people homeless. The City will be assisting 8 families that are on-scene as the other affected households are in their homelands. One adult male, Thobela Ndabani [29 years) residing at TR972 was overcome by smoke causing him to suffer from asphyxiation resulting him been trapped. He died as a result of severe burn wounds. It is alleged that the fire was caused by open flames left unattended.

MILNERTON: At 19:27 on Saturday, 05 January 2013 a large area of reeds caught alight. The Fire & Rescue brought the fire under control within 2 hours. The personal belonging of twenty people living between the reeds was destroyed.

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 counseling.

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