Fire in Langa leaves nearly 300 people homeless

At 09:25 today [Monday, 18 February 2013] the City’s surveillance centre noticed a blaze occurring at Zone 30, off Washing Drive in Langa.

The City’s Fire & Rescue Services dispatched fire engines and emergency services personnel without delay from the Epping, Gugulethu, Goodwood, Milnerton, Mfuleni and Bellville Fire Stations to the scene of incident.

At around 09:34 the first responding emergency vehicle arrival on-scene and at the time the inferno has already spread rapidly through the structures.

The blaze was intense and the standby seasonal firefighters were also activate and deployed to assist at the scene.

At approximately 14:09 the firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze and made the area safe.

The furnace destroyed 83 wooden and iron structures leaving 168 adults and 120 children homeless. No persons sustained any injuries.

The disaster response teams were activated that will assist with the supply of food parcels, blankets, baby packs, clothing and building material.

The cause of the fire has not been determined as yet and the local authorities will investigate the incident.

End

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

Media enquiries:

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