Hundreds of Hout Bay residents have been left homeless after their neighbour allegedly left her stove on and went to suip.
The horrific blaze, which destroyed approximately 60 homes, ripped through the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement shortly after 7pm on Sunday.
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, says firefighters received the call for help shortly after 7pm.
“Several informal structures were destroyed when a fire ripped through Imizamo Yethu on Sunday.
“The City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted shortly after 7pm of structures alight in Hout Bay.
“A total of 18 firefighting resources and 70 staff were on scene.
“Approximately 60 informal structures were destroyed and over 200 persons displaced.
“No injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown.”
Carelse explains that the blaze was extinguished just after midnight but says cops had to be called in as mense became volatile.
“Crews were once again confronted by a volatile crowd blocking access.
“Law Enforcement and the SAPS had to be called on to stabilise the situation.
“The streets in question are L. Ngoyi and B. Molokwane streets – where crowds blocked off access causing a delay in the fire engines reaching the scene.
“No reports of fire officers injured were received.”
When the Daily Voice arrived at the scene on Monday, hartseer residents could be seen searching through the debris to see what they could salvage.
Community worker, Kenny Tokwe, says mense are angry after the cause of the fire was identified.
“Everyone is angry and heartsore. In September there were 98 shacks that burnt at this exact same location,” he says.
“The community is angry because we received reports that the place where the fire started was because of negligence.
“The woman’s shack where it started was cooking and she left her pots on the stove to go to the shebeen. She is not around now because people are very angry.
He adds: “We did not stop the firefighters, there is a broken car that stands in that road and they couldn’t get past.”
Gift of the Givers volunteers could be seen unloading a truck fill with various supplies to assist the fire victims.
Spokesperson, Ali Sablay, says they received calls from residents and when they arrived, they found people carrying what they could as they escaped the flames.
“Gift of the Givers teams are on the ground to provide fire victims with hot meals, blankets, toiletries, baby picks and then we will also distribute mattresses. We hope this will be the last fire in Imizamo Yethu.”