At least 2000 Hout Bay residents affected by the devastating fire that swept through the Mandela Park Imizamo Yethu township have been left homeless. This as a fire engulfed at least 1000 informal structures and caused the death of two individuals.

The fire was one of four fires over the weekend, which resulted in the death of ten people.

City Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, Theo Layne, says that rescue services responded to a fire in an informal structure in Wesbank at approximately 23h00, which resulted in the death of four residents; one adult male, one adult female and two minors.

In a separate incident, in Kosovo Informal settlement near Philippi, a further three victims succumbed to fatal burns.

“One structure was destroyed and one adult male, one adult female and one male sustained fatal burns,” Layne confirmed.

In a fourth incident on Sunday morning, a man was killed in a shack fire which broke out in an informal settlement in Citrusdal on the west coast. In total the fire gutted 22 shacks.

In an effort to assist the hundreds of families who have lost everything in the blaze, Hout Bay based Child and Youth Care Centre, James House, is requesting assistance in the form of water, clothing, food and blankets as numerous families have thus far lost their homes and belongings in the Hout bay fire.

Anyone who wishes to assist the affected families may deliver donations to Gatesville Masjid, it will subsequently be transferred to James House.

VOC 91.3fm