A total of six people including three children died and nearly 170 were displaced in two separate fires that engulfed Nomzamo and Asanda Village in the past week.
According to Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire & Rescue Service, the first incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 10 May and was reported at approximately 02:40, which gave alarm of informal structures alight in Lonja Street, Nomzamo.
He said: “Crews from Strand, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Macassar, Somerset West, Belhar, Bellville, Mitchells Plain, Goodwood and Milnerton were on the scene with six fire engines, four water tankers, two rescue vehicles as well as an Incident Management Team (IMT) – a total staff compliment of approximately 50 firefighters.”
Carelse confirmed the initial total of structures destroyed was close to 70 and an estimated 170 people have been displaced as a result.
“Three persons sustained fatal burn wounds – two adults and one minor (gender unknown),” he added.
Carelse also confirmed that the blaze was extinguished shortly before 06:30 and the cause of the fire is unknown.
The second incident occurred on Saturday 13 May and was reported at approximately 02:30, when calls came in of informal structures burning in Zulu Drive, Asanda Village.
He stated that crews from Strand, Sir Lowry’s Pass and Somerset West were on scene with three fire engines and a water tanker. “The blaze destroyed one formal dwelling and two informal structures leaving six persons displaced. Three persons succumbed in the fire – one adult male and two male minors. The fire was extinguished just after 03:30 and the cause is unknown.”
According to Subcouncil 8 Proportional Councillor Unathi Lasiti, the fire of 10 May affected an informal settlement called Ethembeni.
“I would to thank the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre, solid waste department and the informal settlements unit under the Directorate for Human Settlements that responded promptly and were on scene in the early morning.”
He added community members particularly in informal settlements need to be cognisant of the process that occurs once a fire erupts in an area, which included a survey from the fire department that records names of those affected, a second survey by Disaster Risk Management Centre to confirm this information which then allows for social relief during disasters.
“The City does its best to assist communities during disasters such as this unfortunate scenario,” Lasiti said. “I would further like to appreciate that community, particularly the owner of Jwayela Cash Store in Asanda Village, who was kind enough to donate bread, butter and soft drinks for the affected people.
“I would also like to thank Ismail Baker from the Disaster Management Centre who was able to solicit donations of warm food and bread. The family are still in desperate need of further assistance, should anyone wish to donate to the residents.”
He can be contacted on 073 432 0545.
