Hours after their homes were destroyed in a fire that raged through the KTC informal settlement, residents had already started to rebuild.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said some 35 shacks had been quickly destroyed by the fire in the early hours of Monday morning. A hundred people were left homeless, she said.
The stench of burnt wood and wet blankets, the sounds of hammering and lively chatting filled the air as men, women and children worked together.
There was a sense of urgency as they quickly hammered wooden frames into the place where their homes had been just hours before.
Officials from the city's housing department distributed the materials necessary to rebuild. Powell said these starter kits consisted of plastic sheeting, planks of wood, nails and sheets of corrugated iron.
KTC resident Letticia Lumani woke up to the sound of someone shouting: "Fire! Fire!" All of the family's belongings were ruined. Even their fridge and stove had been burnt, she said while standing among the charred remains of her home.
Lumani said it would take the community at least three weeks to rebuild their homes.
Neighbour Judith Mtyidwa believed that the fire had been caused by a candle that had been knocked over. She had opened her door early on Monday morning and "just saw red".
"It was bad. The fire was so strong."
She immediately woke up her two children and escaped. They weren't able to take any of their belongings, she said.
Relief organisation Mustadafin Foundation's spokesperson, Alia Lambada, said they had provided relief to those affected.
"We provide food parcels to every household and blankets for each person. The food lasts for three days, until the situation can be re-assessed," Lambada said.
Meanwhile, four people died and 40 shacks were destroyed in another fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Residents of the Hadji Ebrahim informal settlement in Rylands were also beginning to rebuild their homes.
Ishmaeel Saeed and his wife Gena, Jennifer Links and Links's friend, who was only identified as Chantel, died in the blaze, said Athlone police spokesperson Andre Venter.
Arthur Jantjies, whose own shack was not burnt, was helping to rebuild a neighbour's home.
The fire had also been caused by a candle, Jantjies said.
A double-storey business premises next door to the settlement had also been burnt in the fire.
Venter confirmed the fire had been caused by a candle that had fallen over.
"No arrests have been made but the investigation would continue," said Venter.
- Cape Times
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said some 35 shacks had been quickly destroyed by the fire in the early hours of Monday morning. A hundred people were left homeless, she said.
The stench of burnt wood and wet blankets, the sounds of hammering and lively chatting filled the air as men, women and children worked together.
There was a sense of urgency as they quickly hammered wooden frames into the place where their homes had been just hours before.
Officials from the city's housing department distributed the materials necessary to rebuild. Powell said these starter kits consisted of plastic sheeting, planks of wood, nails and sheets of corrugated iron.
KTC resident Letticia Lumani woke up to the sound of someone shouting: "Fire! Fire!" All of the family's belongings were ruined. Even their fridge and stove had been burnt, she said while standing among the charred remains of her home.
Lumani said it would take the community at least three weeks to rebuild their homes.
Neighbour Judith Mtyidwa believed that the fire had been caused by a candle that had been knocked over. She had opened her door early on Monday morning and "just saw red".
"It was bad. The fire was so strong."
She immediately woke up her two children and escaped. They weren't able to take any of their belongings, she said.
Relief organisation Mustadafin Foundation's spokesperson, Alia Lambada, said they had provided relief to those affected.
"We provide food parcels to every household and blankets for each person. The food lasts for three days, until the situation can be re-assessed," Lambada said.
Meanwhile, four people died and 40 shacks were destroyed in another fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Residents of the Hadji Ebrahim informal settlement in Rylands were also beginning to rebuild their homes.
Ishmaeel Saeed and his wife Gena, Jennifer Links and Links's friend, who was only identified as Chantel, died in the blaze, said Athlone police spokesperson Andre Venter.
Arthur Jantjies, whose own shack was not burnt, was helping to rebuild a neighbour's home.
The fire had also been caused by a candle, Jantjies said.
A double-storey business premises next door to the settlement had also been burnt in the fire.
Venter confirmed the fire had been caused by a candle that had fallen over.
"No arrests have been made but the investigation would continue," said Venter.
- Cape Times
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