Masiphumelele residents count the cost after a fiver ravaged their homes. After losing their homes and all their belongings in them in a devastating fire on Tuesday afternoon, Masiphumele residents are being told to remain calm as community leaders look for shelter. The City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service were called in at around 3.15pm as a blaze, fanned by a howling southeaster, tore through the informal settlement, destroying at least 363 structures by City estimates.
About 40 firefighters from several stations and three choppers water-bombed the scene. Although no injuries or fatalities have been reported, one firefighter sustained a wrist fracture and was transferred to a medical facility for treatment. The City’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) spokesperson Sonica Lategan gave an update on Wednesday afternoon, saying: “DRM and the City’s Informal Settlements Branch are still registering affected persons – at this stage, the number of structures damaged is 363 – this is NOT the final total.” With the City still registering affected residents to get a full picture of the damage, community leader Tshepo Moletshane said that the situation is tense with residents desperate for shelter at the local community centre.
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