Cape Town Fires: Young Girl Dies, Hundreds Displaced in 24 Hours
Cape Town is reeling after a series of devastating fires tore through several communities in a single day, leaving a young girl dead, two firefighters injured, and hundreds of residents displaced. In a frantic 24-hour period, firefighters battled four separate blazes in Fisantekraal, Dunoon, Nomzamo, and Gugulethu, stretching resources to their limits.
The most tragic incident occurred in Dunoon's Newlands informal settlement, where the charred remains of a nine-year-old girl were discovered after a fire broke out at approximately 01:40 on Sunday. According to police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk, the girl was asleep in a shack while her parents were attending a church service next door.
"They saw smoke coming inside the church. They all ran outside and saw that the shack was burning with the child still inside, sleeping. Currently, it’s unknown how the fire started," Van Wyk stated.
Fire crews were dispatched to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze by 03:40. Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Services Department, confirmed that "Our initial estimate is that 25 structures were destroyed, and 45 persons were displaced."
The disaster in Dunoon was just one of several fires that stretched emergency services to their breaking point. Earlier, at around 02:30 on Sunday, firefighters were called to Stasie Weg in Fisantekraal, near Durbanville, following reports of structures ablaze. Carelse reported that at least 10 structures were destroyed, displacing 40 people. The fire was extinguished by 05:00, and the cause remains undetermined. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this incident.
The largest of the fires erupted in Nomzamo, Strand, on Saturday at 22:45. Over 100 homes were consumed by the flames in Nombula Street, leaving more than 200 people homeless. The severity of the situation, compounded by strong winds, prompted firefighters to request additional resources.
Carelse explained that nearly 60 firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the blaze, which was being fanned by the wind. The fire was finally extinguished by 04:30. Tragically, two firefighters sustained injuries while battling the inferno.
Adding to the challenges faced by emergency responders, the City expressed its dismay at reports of unruly behaviour from some members of the public. It was reported that some individuals interfered with firefighting efforts, even resorting to cutting fire hoses.
Another fire broke out on Saturday at 17:30 in the Barcelona informal settlement in Gugulethu, displacing more than 50 people after a blaze swept through their homes. Crews from Epping, Landsdowne, Belhar, and Wynberg responded to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire by 19:20. There were no reported injuries in this incident.
The cause of all four fires is currently under investigation.
The humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has stepped in to provide assistance to those affected by the fires. Spokesperson Ali Sablay described the past 24 hours as "exceptionally busy" for the organisation.
Gift of the Givers has initiated a full-scale humanitarian response, deploying additional resources to Nomzamo at the request of the community, to provide essential aid and support to the displaced residents.
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