CAPE TOWN – Another Cape Flats community is in mourning after a devastating shack fire on Monday morning (December 8) claimed three lives, including that of a four-month-old baby. All three victims were burned beyond recognition.
The fire destroyed at least two structures in Two Town, leaving six people homeless. The cause of the blaze remains unclear.
According to the City’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse, emergency services received calls at approximately 03:10 reporting structures on fire at Mandela Park in Khayelitsha. Fire crews from nearby stations responded quickly, extinguishing the flames by 04:50. Medical personnel declared three people deceased from fatal burn wounds.
Community leader Lubabalo Msutu described the incident as “terrible” and revealed this marks the fourth time the area has been devastated by fire since 2016.
“There is a man, woman and a child who died. The woman was sleeping over at her boyfriend’s place with the child. We don’t know what caused the fire, but it started in their shack,” Msutu explained. He called on the City to build proper housing for residents.
The dead man’s brother, who declined to be named for fear of harassment, suspects the fire may have been deliberately set alight. He reported hearing a disturbance before the fire began.
“I heard some noise outside between my brother and the woman before the shack fire started. Then it went quiet. A few hours later, after the woman left, we saw the shack burning,” he said. He noted that the fire appeared to start on the outside, in front of the shack.
This tragedy highlights the ongoing fire risks facing informal settlements in the Cape Flats, where residents continue to call for better housing and fire safety measures.
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