About 1 000 dwellings were gutted in a fire in Masiphumelele.

• The City of Cape Town is appealing to the public to donate essential items to the Masiphumelele community after a fire tore through approximately 1 000 dwellings.
• The fire was being fanned by strong winds and spreading at an alarming rate.
• Essential items, such as blankets, baby food, nappies, baby milk and non-perishable food, have been requested.

The City of Cape Town is appealing to the public to donate essential items to the Masiphumelele community after a fire tore through about 1 000 dwellings near Fish Hoek on Thursday.

The City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to a plume of thick, black smoke in the area at around 16:13.

“The crew from Kommetjie Road quickly responded to the fire in Masemola Street which was being fanned by strong winds and spreading at an alarming rate”, Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said.

He said additional resources were brought in to try to put out the raging fire, and that eight firefighting appliances and 40 staff were on the scene.

Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) were also called in to control an unruly crowd of people who were interfering in firefighters’ efforts to contain the blaze.

About 1 000 dwellings were gutted in a fire in Masiphumelele.

The City has since appealed to members of the public to donate essential items, such as blankets, baby food, nappies, baby milk and non-perishable food to the organisation Living Hope in Masiphumelele.

The City’s mayoral committee member for human settlements, Malusi Booi, is expected to visit the area on Friday morning to get a first-hand account of the damage.

“Once the fire has been brought under control, the City will start to conduct a verification process of the affected residents; the City’s solid waste management department will clear the debris; sites will be demarcated and affected residents will be issued with a proof of residence certificates as proof of their residency in future when they rebuild or are issued with emergency kits in accordance with the disaster declaration”, the City said in a statement.

About 1 000 dwellings were gutted in a fire in Masiphumelele.

Helicopters and fire engines were deployed to help quell the raging fires and the cause of the fire is not yet known. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach)

Executive mayor Dan Plato has indicated that he will declare a local disaster within the next 72 hours and the Western Cape government has already been engaged for an emergency gazetting of the local disaster, which is expected by next week.

“The fire was extinguished at 01:00 [on Friday] and crews monitored for any flare-ups,” Carelse added.

No injuries were reported.

To donate, please contact Living Hope, which is coordinating relief efforts, on 082 465 9067.

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