WATCH: Plastic City gutted by fire
The Herald understands 22 shacks were destroyed during the blaze.
Two men sustained injuries during a fire that ravaged through the Plastic City informal settlement during the early hours of Sunday morning.
According to William Ntladi, district manager media liaison for Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS), the Brakpan Fire Station was alerted to the fire at 12.42am.
“Because of the anticipated intensity, according to the caller stating that many shacks were on fire, backup was immediately activated even prior to arrival on scene,” he said.
A fleet of five fire engines and 26 firefighters from Brakpan, Tsakani, Benoni and Etwatwa helped extinguish the fire.
“Many shacks were well alight and fire suppression was immediately initiated by the first arriving pumper from Brakpan as others arrived taking their position according to how the fire was spreading,” said Ntladi.
“Strong wind influenced the spread of the fire and another challenge on scene was the shuttling of water supply.”
Ntladi told the Herald two adult male residents sustained superficial injuries while frantically battling the blaze prior to the arrival of firefighters.
They were transported privately to a medical facility for further medical care.
“No further structural damages were experienced after the arrival of firefighters on scene,” he said.
Ntladi explained the cause of the blaze is alleged to be a fire left unmonitored by a group of youths who were warming themselves.
“After they left, no one extinguished the fire which might have gone out of control because of the strong wind at the time,” he said.
As a result of the fire, many people have been left homeless and without food and other essentials. Ntladi added that all other relevant municipal departments were notified to assist the displaced people.
Brandon Pretorius, Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor for Ward 97 in Brakpan, the area under which Plastic City falls, described the incident as tragic.
“As the ward councillor and the DA in Ekurhuleni we have on numerous occasions raised our concerns with regards to the safety hazards both for the residents of the settlement and caused by the residents of the settlement.
“It seems, however, the City of Ekurhuleni rather prefers to turn a blind eye and ignore the problem.”
According to Pretorius it has been confirmed by the City Planning Department that the land on which the Plastic City occupants are living is zoned for agricultural purposes only and that certain areas are claimed to be dolomitic and could at any moment collapse.
“The layout of the structures within the settlement, as well as the placement of the goods being recycled proves to be dangerous and the City could deem them lucky that only 22 structures burned down,” he said.
“The City should also not claim they are waiting for housing projects to complete before they relocate the occupants of the settlement as a majority of the occupants are either illegal immigrants or not South African residents and therefore would not qualify for subsidised housing.
“The municipality should also stop looking the other way when it comes to the impact the activities of the occupants of this settlement have on themselves and the broader community.
“We will again escalate this matter to ensure continued pressure on all spheres of government.
“The municipality should take this matter hands-on and ensure the law is followed when compiling action plans going forward.
“The law is not there to be considered but rather to be implemented and the ANC administration should apply this practice.”
