South Africa fire leaves 500 people homeless

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

A total of 500 people have been left homeless after a fire destroyed their homes at an informal settlement, Imizamo Yethuon, on the outskirts of Cape Town city, authorities said Saturday.

“The fire started in the early hours of Saturday. We still don’t know the cause, but over 120 dwellings have been destroyed and 500 people displaced,” Charlotte Powell, spokeswoman for Cape Town Disaster Management Centre, told Anadolu Agency.

She said the displaced people are currently being sheltered at a community hall in the city. “We haven’t recorded any fatalities yet, but the Red Cross society is currently providing food, clothing and blankets to those affected,” Powell said via telephone.

She said most destroyed homes were made of wooden structures and had installed iron roofs.

Imizamo Yethu is densely populated and homes are built close to each other.

Fires are common in South Africa’s informal settlements where people live in temporary homes built with iron or wood. Most informal settlement dwellers use paraffin stoves to cook and candles for lighting, which are known to easily ignite accidental fires.

Powell said Cape Town will provide building materials to the displaced families to rebuild their homes.