An inferno in an informal settlement in Cape Town has killed a man and a woman and left 64 homeless on Saturday.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Securities of the City of Cape Town, JP Smith said the fire alarm was raised on Saturday morning.
The fire accident happened around The Gatjie In Diep River.
“Disaster risk management was on scene to consider relief efforts and assist families with immediate requirements,” Smith said.
The provincial human settlements department had received requests from the government for assistance of the affected persons.
“With the winter cold now settling in, many people turn to open flame fires for warmth,” said Smith.
“With residential and informal settlement fires increasing at a rate of around 10% each year, we implore all residents to exercise extreme caution this winter.
“Never leave an open flame fire unattended and always ensure any fires are made away from surrounding materials that could easily ignite.”
There have been many fire accidents across the continent since 2021 with different high-magnitude fire outbreaks reported in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, South Africa and others.