Saturday, April 7, 2007

800 homeless in four Western Cape fires

More than 800 people were left homeless in four separate fires that gutted informal settlements around Cape Town since last night, Western Cape firefighters said.

About 252 dwellings were destroyed in the fires in Khayelitsha, Fish Hoek and two near Milnerton, said Johan Minnie, a Cape Town disaster management spokesperson. There were no injuries or deaths.

Arrangements were being made to provide accommodation, food, blankets and building materials to those left homeless, said Minnie. The cause of the fires was not known, but gale-force winds buffeting the Cape had helped to spread them.

Yesterday and today had been classified red fire danger days - when there was extreme danger of fires spreading - with high temperatures, strong winds and no rain in a while. - Sapa

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