THULASIZWE NKOMO
DURBAN - RESIDENTS living in a block of flats in Musgrave were left stranded after a fire broke out on Saturday night.
The block of flats is situated on the corner of Povall and Musgrave Road, near the Musgrave centre in Durban.
EThekwini Fire Department division commander Joseph Stevens said the fire broke out at midnight and damaged almost the entire top floor of the building.
Stevens said the fire took two hours to extinguish and there were no injuries reported, even though the building was badly damaged.
He said one of the challenges they had while putting out the blaze was a shortage of water, as one of the fire hydrants in the vicinity was not working and they had to use one down the road. Stevens said they did not yet know what could triggered the blaze.
Ward councillor in the area Charmaine Clayton said 12 units were burnt. She said due to the extensive damage to the units no one could live in them, as the roof had caved in.
Clayton said more than 50 people were affected and were left with nothing, as most of their valuables and possessions were destroyed.
"People lost their money, their wallets and their possessions, so they don't have even have the bus fare to go out and make IDs, everything was in there," she said.
Clayton said she was thankful to the community for helping out with food, clothes and other essentials for those who were affected.
The Mercury