Cape Town - More than 200 people living in the Lusaka informal settlement in Crossroads have been left destitute after a fire destroyed 53 shacks.
The community’s leaders are pleading with neighbouring communities for support with sourcing essential donations and building materials.
Crossroads councillor Bongani Ngcombolo said: “The situation is dire since the City scrapped the programme that assisted people with the material. My office will facilitate the donations to be handed over to the families and residents in need.”
Ngcombolo said the fire was allegedly started by a mentally challenged child who had since run away.
Thirty firefighters from the City’s Belhar, Gugulethu, Mitchells Plain, Lansdowne Road, Ottery, Wynberg and Goodwood fire stations responded.
Spokesperson Edward Bosch said: “Fire and Rescue Services received a call for assistance at about 1.48pm of structures alight at Borcherds Quarry Road, Crossroads.
“Several fire crews responded to the incident, however despite the intense efforts to extinguish the blaze, high temperatures accompanied with a moderate south-easterly wind fanned the fire. It took firefighters just under three hours to completely extinguish the fire,” Bosch said.
Meanwhile, the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC) is still pushing its initiatives targeted at lowering the number of informal settlement fires across the city.
So far, the fire safety initiative launched by DRM Centre, in partnership with the Fire and Rescue Service, has reached approximately 30 000 households in informal settlements in Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Nyanga, Philippi, Overcome Heights, Driftsands, Wallacedene, Bloekombos, Kuils River, Gugulethu, Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, Du Noon and Masiphumelele in Fish Hoek.
DRMC spokesperson Charlotte Powell said: “The engagements with the communities have thus far been positive. We encourage residents to take heed of the safety messages and implement them. The emphasis is to ensure that communities are more prepared when a fire occurs.”
For more information on how you can help, please call councillor Bongani Ngcombolo at 060 790 8836.