Two men were burnt beyond recognition when at least five shacks were gutted by a fire in Benox Street, Nomzamo over the weekend. Seven people were left destitute.
The cause of the fire is unknown. It is believed to have begun in one of the shacks around 01:00 on Saturday 29 June and quickly spread to other shacks before firefighters brought it under control.
The identities of the deceased have not been released. According to reports they were sleeping in separate shacks.
Resident Nolubabalo Mtakati said she was asleep when the fire started. “I heard people shouting ‘Fire! Fire!’ When I looked outside I saw the flames and smoke from a distance.
“I saw people extinguishing the flames and using buckets to fetch water. Fortunately, the firefighters arrived on time before the flames could spread to other shacks and to the houses.”
She said found out later that the fire claimed two lives. “I went to bed before the firefighters were able to stop the flames. I heard in the morning that there were bodies that were found dead in the debris.”
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed the incident. He added that two adults died in the blaze.
“The City’s Fire & Rescue Service was notified at 01:40 of informal structures burning in Benox Street. Fire crews from Sir Lowry’s Pass, Strand, Somerset West, Macassar and Mitchells Plain fire stations attended to the scene. Firefighters managed to contain and extinguish the blaze by 03:00, which destroyed five informal structures and left seven persons displaced.”
He said the bodies of the two men were found among the debris and certified deceased by medical personnel.
