60 families homeless after fire
2013-02-24 11:37
Johannesburg - Over 60 families have been left homeless after a fire burnt down their shacks in Crown Mines informal settlement in Johannesburg, paramedics said on Sunday.
Johannesburg medical emergency services Robert Mulaudzi said the fire started at 03:00 on Sunday in extension 7 of the informal settlement.
Firefighters were still battling the blaze three hours later.
A total of 50 shacks had been destroyed by the fire, Mulaudzi said.
"No one was injured in the fire. The disaster management team has already arrived on the scene to help people who have been left homeless," he said.
It is believed the fire might have been caused by a paraffin stove which was left unattended, he said.
"We urge people living in informal settlements to take care of their lighting and heating appliances to avoid incidents such as these," Mulaudzi said.
In another separate incident, two shacks burnt down when a fire broke out in Zamimpilo informal settlement next to Highgate Mall, south of Johannesburg.
No one was injured in the fire, Mulaudzi said.
- SAPA
