Knysna burns
FAMILY OF 3 DIE: THOUSANDS FLEE RAGING INFERNO
Houses, businesses in town razed to ground as strong winds drive flames.
One of the worst fires in history in an urban area in South Africa engulfed the southern holiday town of Knysna last night. Disaster management authorities ordered an evacuation of thousands of residents of the town, which has a population of 77 000.
Scores of houses and businesses in the CBD were burnt to the ground, while many residents, with their clothes and meagre possessions packed in the cars, sought refuge on Leisure Isle, the island in the middle of the Knysna Lagoon.
Three people – a farm worker, his wife and their child – died when the fire ripped through a tree plantation between Sedgefield and Knysna. Late last night, a number of people were reported missing and still unaccounted for.
The N2 highway between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay was closed as fire consumed the dry bush on both sides of the road. Western Cape emergency services sent units from Cape Town and other areas around the province to the town which, according to eye witnesses, was a “disaster area”. But they arrived too late to save large areas of the Knysna suburbs and CBD, which were engulfed by flames as much as 20m high being driven by gale-force winds.
Emergency services in the Western Cape said helicopters were being sent to the area, with the aim of “water bombing” the fire, but the high storm winds made it impossible for them to fly.
Reports said there were as many as 26 different fires ringing all sides of the town and, authorities admitted, the flames would be impossible to control.
A number of community halls were initially opened for refugees, but some of these had to be evacuated as flames move closer and fleeing residents sought refuge on open ground. – Citizen reporter