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Masiphumelele hit by second fire in less than a month, Cape Town
Another fire broke out in Masiphumelele Informal Settlement in Cape Town on 21 November 2022, the second fire in less than a month. Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service, said, “The incident was reported at approximately 09h40am. Informal structure fires spread towards the wetlands area adjacent to a security complex, Lake Michelle.
Carelse added, “Our response included a motor pump and bush tanker from Kommetjie Fire Station, motor pumps each from Fish Hoek, Simon’s Town, Brooklyn, Wynberg, Roeland Street, Constantia and Salt River respectively as well as a water tanker from Epping, a water tanker and rescue vehicle from Houtbay and a motor pump and water tanker from Milnerton.” “Operations focussed on containment to minimize the damages. The fire was extinguished at approximately 17h40 on the same day. A total of 375 informal structures were destroyed leaving 1 102 persons displaced”, said Carelse. “Challenges faced included that the structures are built up close to each other, which increases the rate of the spread of the fire. Certain community members slashed the fire hoses in an attempt to divert water to the fire” he concluded. Speaking during his visit to the informal settlement on Tuesday, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: "Unfortunately, they also came under some attack from community members. We understand that is likely due to desperation and people looking for water to help put out the fire. But unfortunately, what that does, it means that more shacks are damaged because the firefighters can’t do their job." Source: Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service, EWN |
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