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Firefighters fight the fire in Camps Bay, Western Cape.
Photo provided to News24 by Martinique Ferreira
- Firefighters in the city of Cape Town are currently fighting a fire in Masiphumelele.
- The city estimates that the fire has destroyed 1,000 homes so far.
- Ask for donations of essential items for residents.
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 fire on Masemola Street, which was being fanned 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.
“Emergency services are struggling to control the fire primarily due to hurricane force 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-food. perishables for 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.
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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.
“Thereafter, funds for emergency relief supplies will be accessible. The City will do everything possible to expedite the process to the extent that 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,” the City said.
This is a developing story.
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