A 6-year-old disabled boy died tragically on Tuesday morning when a fire ripped through several informal structures in the Wallacedene informal settlement.
According to City of Cape Town fire-and-rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse emergency services were alerted to the blaze in Maroela Road at approximately 10:15. Fire crews from Kraaifontein, Bellville, Brackenfell and Milnerton were dispatched to the scene.
The child, who was reportedly sleeping on a couch when the fire broke out, could not be rescued in time, and his charred remains were later discovered among the remnants of the structures.
Firefighters worked for more than two hours to contain the blaze, extinguishing the flames by 12:20. An estimated 20 homes were destroyed, displacing between 60 and 80 residents.
“The teams acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further damage,” said Carelse. “Sadly, one minor lost his life in the process.”
Kraaifontein police took control of the scene and were expected to conduct a formal investigation into the cause of the fire.
