The fire destroyed 200 houses in Dunoon.
Supplied by Gift of the Givers
- More than 200 people have been displaced following a devastating fire in the Dunoon informal settlement.
- More than 100 huts were destroyed.
- Gift of the Givers was on scene to help those in need.
More than 200 people have been displaced after devastating fires tore through the Usasaza Street section of the Dunoon informal settlement in the Western Cape on Friday morning.
Firefighters from the Milnerton Fire Station were dispatched by Cape Town Fire and Rescue services to the area.
Mayco safety and security member JP Smith said additional resources had to be called in after the extent of the fire was confirmed.
“More than 60 firefighters were using 16 fire extinguishing devices to contain the fire.
“Firefighting efforts were severely hampered by the [homes] built close together and many of which were two-story, making it difficult for fire vehicles to maneuver as the space was congested,” Smith added.
There were no deaths, but two firefighters suffered injuries, and one suffered minor burns to his hand. He was treated on the spot.
Displaced Dunoon residents said they are saddened that they will not have a home for the start of the new year.
By Saturday, Disaster Risk Management officials had completed assessments of the fire and found that 106 homes had been destroyed and 233 people were affected.
Dunoon residents who lost their belongings told News24 they were “very hurt” because they “have no home for New Year’s Day”.
An emotional Precious Bokolo said:
I was inside the house when the fire came. I heard people yelling that there is a fire, but I didn’t take note because I was busy at the time.
“But then I saw people running through the streets. I went to see what was happening and that’s when I saw that the fire was already close to me. I lost everything in that fire. It was too late to grab anything inside.”
The mother-of-two said she and her children have nowhere to go. “I bought school uniforms and shoes for the children, but now it’s all gone to the fire.
Gift of the Givers was on site to help those affected by the fire.
“I feel sad, but I hope to make a plan to fix things…it’s hard because I’m also unemployed,” she added.
Nwabisa Ningi, 23, said she heard people yelling “fire” while she was still inside the house.
“Residents came knocking on my door to alert me to get out of the house.
“From the time I opened the door to see what the commotion was, until I went back to get some things from the house, the flames had already engulfed part of my home,” Ningi said.
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She said her ID book and all of her education certificates were destroyed in the fire.
ningi said:
It’s so sad… just before the new year started, this happened. It’s really not nice for us.
The Gift of the Givers humanitarian organization was on site to assess the damage and, by Saturday, was delivering hot meals, water bottles, blankets, mattresses, toiletries and baby care items to the vulnerable community.
“The mood in the area was grim, with members of the community running out of taxis towards the disaster site hoping their houses would still stand, some throwing themselves on the rubble and bursting into tears… said the organization’s spokesman, Ali Sabley.
“This is all they had. Christmas was already a struggle, as some of them had to save up to buy new school uniforms and stationery, which burned up in seconds.”
Some of the Dunoon residents who lost their belongings in the fire.
“These community members have nothing to look forward to this new year but to rebuild their lives,” added Sablay.
Disaster Risk Management said the South African Social Security Agency was also on site providing humanitarian assistance. The provincial department of social development was also activated to provide psychosocial support services.
Meanwhile, in Masiphumelele, near Noordhoek, three people died in a fire early Saturday morning and several houses were destroyed.
Food is being distributed to residents affected by the fire.
Jermaine Carelse, a spokesman for Cape Town Fire and Rescue services, said six fire trucks and three tankers were dispatched to put out the fire shortly before 6 a.m.
“The bodies of two men and a woman were found in the rubble. Several [homes] were also destroyed, displacing [several] families. The police were investigating the cause of the fire,” added Carelse.
