Cape Town - The University of Edinburgh and Stellenbosch University conducted what they called the world’s largest informal settlement fire experiment, to understand how fire spreads between dwellings.
The experiment was hosted by the Breede Valley Municipality Fire Department, with the Department of Local Government Disaster Management and Fire and Rescue Services, in Worcester yesterday.
It used 12 shacks and approximately five tons of wood.
University of Edinburgh lecturer in structural engineering David Rush said the experiment was designed to gain data on how fires spread.
“The conditions today are helpful because it’s windy and we want to understand the fundamental mechanism of how fire moves from one dwelling to another.
“The qualitative and quantitative data we will receive will allow us to improve the resilience of informal settlements in South Africa and the world,” said Rush.
The temperatures within the structures could reach more than 1200°C, he added.
The experiment aimed to develop a fundamental understanding of the social, political and technical issues regarding fire safety and fire spread within informal settlements.
Richard Walls, of the Stellenbosch University fire engineering research unit, said the equipment had captured data that would help create models to find what interventions would work.
He said the research had been possible due to help from local and provincial government, as well as various other agencies.
Western Cape Fire and Rescue Services deputy director Etienne du Toit said the research would help the government establish proactive and predictive interventions.