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AN INFERNO that swept through Scarborough and Ocean View this Friday has left two firefighters suffering third degree burns.

Shane Woolsencroft and Gary Smeda from the Roeland Street fire department underwent plastic surgery on Sunday after enduring extensive burns to their faces and hands. Five houses and six shacks in Ocean View were destroyed by the fire.

Warren Dawson from Disaster Management in Fish Hoek says 20 volunteers assisted the city?s fire department on Friday.

"We assisted in the protection of property on Hilltop Road. Two vehicles assisted in stopping the spread of the fire, but one of them burnt out."

He says the whole crew, while attempting to tame the blaze, suffered smoke inhalation and eye irritation.

The Rastafari informal settlement at the top of Aries Road lost four shacks. "With assistance from the police we were able to evacuate the residents from their shacks, along with a few of their possessions."

Ocean View and informal settlement victims are now staying in the Ocean View Multipurpose Hall.

Darren Zimmerman from Cape Medical Response says Friday's scene was "hectic".

"But luckily things are now under control and the damage can be assessed," he says.

Eyewitness Mike Bekker from Scarborough Security says morale was low and things were looking "exceptionally bad" on Friday night. "People could lite?rally see the fire approaching, but were unable to do anything about it except wait for help," he says. "People were frantic."

He says Scarborough residents opened their homes and hearts to help those affected by the disaster after the blaze. "The people who lost everything are being assisted by their neighbours," he says. "One of the residents, an elderly gentleman, was taken in by people in the area after he lost literally everything in the fire."

As a result of the 12 fires which all happened in the last 23 days, Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has requested the police to "step up" patrols between the Red Hill and Ocean View areas. They believe all the fires are deliberate.

"We will ask SANParks Corporate Intelligence Services, an in-house crime intelligence unit of SANParks, to set up a team that will work with the police in investiga?ting the recent outbreak of fires," says Philip Prins, fire and technical services manager. TMNP has laid three charges of arson at the Simon's Town Police Station.

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