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Cape Town City firefighters are currently fighting a fire in Masiphumelele after their Fire and Rescue Services were alerted to plumes of thick black smoke in the area around 4:13 p.m.
“The Kommetjie Road crew responded quickly to the Masemola Street fire, which was being fueled by high winds and was spreading at an alarming rate,” Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Jermaine Carelse said Thursday in a statement. .
“Additional resources were requested and eight fire extinguishers and 40 personnel are now on the scene, as are police who were called in to control a rebellious crowd that was interfering with the firefighters’ efforts to contain the blaze. “Carelse added.
A helicopter bombards the Masiphumelele fire with water.
Call for donations
Fire and rescue services, disaster risk management, human settlements teams and other officials are at the Masiphumelele site, where the fire has so far destroyed some 1,000 homes.
“The emergency services are struggling to control the fire mainly due to the high winds. The City is calling on members of the public to please donate essential items such as blankets, baby food, diapers, baby milk and non-perishable foods to the Living Hope organization in Masiphumelele, ”the City said in a statement Thursday .
Once the fire is under control, the City will begin a verification process of affected residents; the City’s Solid Waste Management Department will clean up the debris; The sites will be demarcated and affected residents will receive a certificate of proof of residence as proof of their future residency when they rebuild or are issued an emergency kit in accordance with the disaster declaration.
News24 previously reported that the fire occurred between Bakoven and Camps Bay, on Victoria Road, with approximately eight fire extinguishers with 45 personnel on the scene.
Fire early today at Site 5 (Masiphumelele) Fish Hoek in W / Cape pic.twitter.com/4avaP5cr5Y
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According to the city, Mayor Dan Plato indicated that he would declare a local disaster within the next 72 hours and the Western Cape government had committed to producing an emergency bulletin of the local disaster that was expected next week.
“From then on, funds will be accessible for emergency relief supplies. The City will make every effort to expedite the process to the extent it is within its power to do so.
“This is in terms of a new process. Due to national government budget cuts, the City can no longer offer the additional service of providing fire and flood kits to residents outside of declared disasters, ”said the City.
This is a developing story.
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