Fire leaves hundreds homeless
2005-01-10 12:01
Johannesburg - Hundreds of people have been left homeless after a fire destroyed at least 100 shacks in the Kayamandi informal settlement near Stellenbosch on Sunday, SABC radio news reported on Monday.
The blaze started when a paraffin stove toppled over in the evening.
The fire was fanned by the strong wind and it took firefighters about three hours to extinguish.
Apparently this is the third fire to hit an informal settlement in and around Cape Town since the start of the holiday season.
The only comfort for those trying to retrieve what remained of their possessions, was that no one died or was injured.
On Sunday night, local welfare and community organisations provided assistance and have made an appeal for donations of food and blankets, the SABC reported.
- SAPA