Four dead, many left homeless after early morning fires in Cape Town

Days before Christmas, four people were killed and a number left homeless in three separate fires in Cape Town on Sunday morning.

Fire services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said firefighters responded to the first incident at 02:45 and found informal structures alight in Disa Road, Philippi.

“Numerous structures were destroyed and the fire was extinguished at 04:00. Unfortunately the body of a man was discovered and a woman was treated and transported to a nearby hospital for burn wounds,” he said.

At 03:00, a house was reported to be alight in Matshoba Street, Khayelitsha.

“Despite courageous efforts of firefighters, CPR was terminated on an adult male whilst a woman was transported to hospital for burn wounds.”

Two fatalities were discovered after crews doused flames at Siqalo informal settlement in Philippi reported at 04:50.

“Firefighters took less than an hour to extinguish the blaze. Unfortunately the bodies of two men were discovered during mopping up operations,” Carelse said.

“All these scenes were handed over to the South African Police Service.”

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