Khayelitsha fire toll rises
2013-01-05 18:51
Johannesburg - The death toll from a series of shack fires on New Year's Day in Khayelitsha and Thembeni has risen to five, the City of Cape Town disaster management services said on Saturday.
The latest victim, 35-year-old Lungelo Krexe, died in hospital where he was being treated for the burns which covered 80% of his body, said spokesperson Wilfred Solomons-Johannes of the city's disaster risk management centre.
Krexe's condition had deteriorated since being admitted on January 1.
Solomons-Johannes said Krexe was declared dead by doctors on Friday at 12:55.
The four dead were all males, ages 25, 21, 25 and 29. The shack fires on New Year's Day initially killed four people and left 4 000 homeless in Khayelitsha and Thembeni.
Solomons-Johannes said at 01:12 a fire was reported at Thembeni informal settlement in Du Noon.
"The fire destroyed 15 formal houses and another 220 shacks in the area. As a result of the fire 800 people were left displaced," he said.
In Khayelitsha, a fire destroyed 120 shacks on Monday at 19:15 leaving 200 people homeless at the WD-section.
Another devastating fire broke out at BM-section of Khayelitsha at 04:45 on Tuesday.
- SAPA
