At least 36 people were left homeless after a shack fire ravaged 11 structures on Tuesday, 26 May, at Great Dutch informal settlement in Nyanga. The cause of the incident is unknown at this stage.
Nyanga shack fire victim loses belongings
Shack fire victim Lwando Mpaqa said he lost almost everything in the blaze.
“I was at Nyanga Terminus when the fire started. I received a call from one of my neighbours telling me there was a shack fire. It was about 20 minutes after I had left my shack to accompany my friend. When I came back, my shack had already started burning, but I managed to take out my television and microwave,” he said, adding that all his remaining were destroyed in the fire.
Community appeals for help after Nyanga shack fire
Ward 38 councillor Suzanne Zumana described the situation as devastating. She said she had informed City officials about the incident.
“We are appealing to the community to assist the shack fire victims with whatever they can. Most of them are unemployed and there are children affected,” she said.
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Firefighters respond to Great Dutch settlement blaze
The City’s Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the incident was reported at around 15:00 after structures caught alight in E Mjodo Street, Nyanga.
“Crews from Gugulethu, Mitchells Plain, Belhar and Ottery responded to the scene. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by 16:00. An estimated 10 structures were destroyed, leaving 36 people displaced,” he said, adding that no injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
