Firefighters on Tuesday night battled a blaze which destroyed at least 100 homes in Imizamo Yethu in cold and rainy conditions.
Nearly two hours after the fire broke out, scores of firefighters were able to surround and contain the flames which had spread quickly through the Hout Bay informal settlement popularly known as Mandela Park.
Theo Layne, station commander at the city's Fire Control Centre, said on Tuesday night there were "numerous" wood and iron structures still burning in the blaze.
He said firefighters had reported there was no wind hampering their already difficult task.
Police spokesperson Tanya Lesch said late on Tuesday that the blaze was "very strong" along NR Mandela Road.
She said the road, just above the police station, was easily accessible to the eight fire and five water tenders which had been sent to the scene. Lesch said about 100 wood and iron structures had been damaged in the fire and an estimated 500 people displaced.
"The fire is still strong so we don't know how many more structures will be damaged. We don't know if there is any deaths or injuries yet." Layne said the fire had broken out about 7.30pm and spread quickly through the houses.
The cause of the fire was still unknown.
Community members told the Cape Times they thought the blaze may have been caused by a resident who had used a heater or started a fire to keep warm.
Lesch said police had worked to control the crowd and provide assistance to community members.
Imizamo Yethu was the scene of one of the most devastating informal settlement fires in recent history. The blaze destroyed an estimated 1 200 homes and left about 5 000 people homeless in February 2004.
While no one was killed by the blaze, a number of people were injured.
The cause of that fire was not immediately known, but council officials said it began in a shack just after midnight and was brought under control more than six hours later.
Shocked residents spent days afterwards sweltering in a heatwave, sifting through the remains of their homes.
Nearly two hours after the fire broke out, scores of firefighters were able to surround and contain the flames which had spread quickly through the Hout Bay informal settlement popularly known as Mandela Park.
Theo Layne, station commander at the city's Fire Control Centre, said on Tuesday night there were "numerous" wood and iron structures still burning in the blaze.
He said firefighters had reported there was no wind hampering their already difficult task.
Police spokesperson Tanya Lesch said late on Tuesday that the blaze was "very strong" along NR Mandela Road.
She said the road, just above the police station, was easily accessible to the eight fire and five water tenders which had been sent to the scene. Lesch said about 100 wood and iron structures had been damaged in the fire and an estimated 500 people displaced.
"The fire is still strong so we don't know how many more structures will be damaged. We don't know if there is any deaths or injuries yet." Layne said the fire had broken out about 7.30pm and spread quickly through the houses.
The cause of the fire was still unknown.
Community members told the Cape Times they thought the blaze may have been caused by a resident who had used a heater or started a fire to keep warm.
Lesch said police had worked to control the crowd and provide assistance to community members.
Imizamo Yethu was the scene of one of the most devastating informal settlement fires in recent history. The blaze destroyed an estimated 1 200 homes and left about 5 000 people homeless in February 2004.
While no one was killed by the blaze, a number of people were injured.
The cause of that fire was not immediately known, but council officials said it began in a shack just after midnight and was brought under control more than six hours later.
Shocked residents spent days afterwards sweltering in a heatwave, sifting through the remains of their homes.
- IOL - Cape Times
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