Thursday, January 25, 2007

Firefighters battling to curb devastating fires

Scorching heat and winds in the Cape Peninsula and Boland have kept firefighters working around the clock battling devastating fires. One of the last fires was reported just after 6pm last night at the Masiphumelele informal settlement near Fish Hoek.

Fourteen fire trucks and two helicopters were dispatched to the area. At least 100 shacks were destroyed in the blaze leaving around 500 people homeless. No casualties were reported.

The affected families will be housed in a community centre, and the City of Cape Town will be providing them with blankets, clothes and food.

Ian Schnetler, the fire services’ acting chief, says fire fighters have been battling veldfires all week. SABC

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