Dunoon fire leaves 500 destitute

Dunoon fire leaves 500 destitute

A devastating fire has left 500 people out in the cold after the blaze ripped through an informal settlement in Dunoon, Cape Town on Monday.

According to preliminary assessments, 120 structures were damaged and 500 people displaced in Site 5, Doornbach.

Disaster Risk Management (DRMC) spokesperson Charlotte Powell said their teams were dispatched to the area after an emergency call was received at about 4.40pm regarding structures alight just off Potsdam Road.

A total of 70 firefighters and 18 appliances were on scene to manage the incident, compounded by a change in wind direction.

“They extinguished the fire at 10.35pm. A firefighter was treated for an injury sustained on scene. The DRMC (is) conducting assessments at the fire site to determine the number of structures destroyed and persons affected. We will also activate relevant City of Cape Town services to conduct clean-ups of the site, and restore any services that may have been affected by the fires,” she said.

Officials from Disaster and Informal Settlements Management returned to the site on Tuesday to further finalise the post-fire assessment at the Dunoon site.

“DRM has established a Joint Operations Centre on site to co-ordinate the response to the incident. Preliminary assessments indicate no injuries or deaths have been reported in the affected community. Infrastructural damage has been observed to 10 electrical poles, a water pipe and mobile toilet.

“Eskom personnel are on scene and the Departments of Water and Sanitation and Solid Waste have been informed to render repair services and clean-up of the area,” said Powell.

A fire in a Doornbach informal settlement destroyed hundreds of structures and left many homeless on Monday. Picture: Disaster Risk Management

Humanitarian organisations including Gift of the Givers, Islamic Relief and The Warehouse have provided relief through the provision of food, blankets, clothing and toiletry packs.

Cape Times