RESIDENTS of Witsand in Atlantis, Cape Town, are devastated after a fire allegedly caused by izinyoka burnt 24 shacks, leading to the death of a person.
The incident happened on Saturday, 4 November, in the evening while people were busy preparing their supper.
“The fire started from an illegally connected cable and moved very fast to burn a nearby shack. We tried to stop the fire, but it spread fast. We couldn’t do anything about it. It was only the firefighters that managed to stop the fire because it was so fierce,” said resident Phaphama Fabeni (34).
The man was allegedly sleeping at the time of the fire, and he failed to escape and was burnt to death.
Another resident, Khanyisa Nyamani (45), said people didn’t know that the deceased was sleeping, and they could have woken him up.
"People were shocked to see that he was inside after the fire had been extinguished by the firefighters,” Khanyisa said.
A community leader, Nolufefe Mbombo, said people were struggling to rebuild their homes because they didn't have building materials.
“They do not know where to start. The city does not offer building materials anymore, and many of these people are unemployed. This is a big problem they are facing right now,” said Mbombo.
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Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Jermaine Carelse said on Saturday, at about 5.30pm, they received information about informal structures burning on Diliya Street, Witsands.
“A total of 28 firefighters with seven firefighting resources were on the scene. By 7pm, the fire, which destroyed 18 structures (our initial estimate), was extinguished, leaving 40 persons displaced," Carelse said.
"A body that was burnt beyond recognition was found just before 6.30pm. The cause of the fire is unknown, and by 7.50pm, the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service."
Police spokesman Captain Frederick Van Wyk confirmed that a person died in a shack fire.
"Upon our arrival at the scene, about eight shacks were found burning. The fire brigade extinguished the fire and found the body of a male in one of the burnt shacks.
“He was identified by name, but a proper identification must still be conducted. All the shacks which caught fire were surrounded by a tall power light. It is suspected that due to the 'unlawful electricity cable erections' some of the shacks caught on fire,” said Van Wyk.
