Alex shack fires add misery
Barely a month after the city launched a winter fire safety campaign, three fires in Alexandra have killed a child, and left many people homeless and without household property.
The campaign is an annual event and targets mainly informal settlements which are susceptible to fires due to flammable material used and lack of access by the emergency services.
The latest fire occurred last week and razed eight shacks in a disused and overcrowded factory in Kew at the corner of Vincent Tshabalala and 3rd Avenue, Alexandra. Another happened a week earlier and destroyed more than 30 shacks in nearby Marlboro resulting in homelessness and the loss of thousands of rands worthy of property. The third fire which resulted in the death of a child also occurred last week, but luckily was confined to one shack and caused limited loss of property due to quick reaction by neighbours.
Click here to read about how the drama unfolded.
The fires are indicative of the vulnerability of the poor who have to rely on unsafe, non-electric sources such as paraffin stoves, and candles for lighting, cooking and warmth. Candles and paraffin stoves are contained in unsafe but affordable receptacles and are used in confined spaces crammed with the occupants’ belongings. Coupled with flammable material used for construction of the shacks, the dwellings burn down quickly.
Although the city council tried to assist with temporary shelter, it was unable to in these latest instances leaving the victims to fend for themselves by rebuilding anew.
The cost of the assets lost is incalculable to the victims of these shack fires as they get no support from welfare sources. One of the victims, Sandiswa Sokweleti who is unemployed and stayed with her sister, said they lost everything including a fridge, clothing, school and birth certificates, bank cards and identity documents. Another victim, Sibusiso Komane said he lost property worth R8 000, and didn’t know where and how to start afresh. Simon Mpiliso, who does piece jobs for a living said he lost a bed, wardrobe and cupboard worth R7 000, and his identity document which will make it difficult for him to get other jobs.
With the meteorological department predicting that this winter will be extremely cold, more shack fires are to expected.
Related articles:
People lose valuables in shack fire worth 1000′s of rands
City council launches winter safety campaign
Fewer shack fires expected in Alex this winter
What can be done to stop shack fires?
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