145 left homeless by latest blaze
AN INFERNO which razed more than 40 structures in Dunoon is the latest devastating fire to hit Cape Town, following recently reported incidents in Nyanga, Paarl and Mitchell’s Plain.
At least 145 people were left without shelter in the Siyahlala informal settlement in the early hours of yesterday morning, said disaster risk management spokesperson Charlotte Powell.
Emergency housing kits have also been distributed to the more than 70 people at the Mkhonto Square informal settlement in Nyanga whose structures were destroyed by a fire on Friday night.
Powell said that while the cause of the fires had not been established, residents should pay attention to basic tips to help control the risk of a fire, including keeping a close eye on paraffin stove and not cooking near a window with a curtain.
Powell said: “Shack fires are very hard to control and can have devastating consequences for residents of informal settlements”. She provided these tips:
Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
Cut candles in half to prevent them falling over – and use a candle holder.
Do not smoke in bed. If you can afford it, keep a fire extinguisher in your home; maintain it annually and know how to use it. Keep a bucket of sand in the kitchen; throwing sand over a small fire, especially an oil fire, can help contain it. Keep a garden hose rolled up and ready in case of fire. Where possible have more than one exit point from your house. Make an escape plan that the whole family knows and can follow. Do not park in the way of a fire hydrant. At least 14 people have died in fire-related incidents in Cape Town since September. Two girls from Kensington died in a house fire.
Eight people – including six children – died in October in blazes in Fisantekraal and Bonteheuwel. One death was reported in December and three people have died in fires this month.