Cape Town - One person died while two were hospitalised after a shack fire broke out at Masiphumelele near Fish Hoek in the early hours of Monday.
The fire, which flared up in D-section, destroyed more than 100 dwellings and left 430 people displaced.
City Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted to the fire just before 3am. Carelse said the fire was fanned by a strong south-easterly wind and firefighters called for more resources to help bring the blaze under control.
“Kommetjie Road fire station crew were first on the scene and confirmed numerous informal structures burning, fanned by a strong south-easterly wind, and called for more resources to help bring it under control.
“A total of 18 firefighting appliances and approximately 70 firefighters from various stations were on the scene. The fire was brought under control just before 5am,” he said.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said no emergency shelter was activated as the fire victims would stay with family and friends.
Powell said that the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa), Gift of the Givers, and Living Hope would provide humanitarian assistance and the Department of Home Affairs would assist with the issuing of temporary IDs for pupils in matric to write exams.
Powell said City services were busy with damage assessments.
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers stepped in to assist with immediate humanitarian relief after news broke that nearly 500 people were left homeless.
Ward councillor Patricia Francke said while the cause for the fire remained unknown, the recurring shack fires in the area were concerning.
France said the area where the fire broke out was densely populated, adding it was nearly impossible to re-block the area as fire victims erect their shacks immediately after the fire.