One dead after second fire destroys Pretoria East informal settlement

Another fire has razed a Pretoria East informal settlement to the ground, leaving one person dead. This comes barely three days after an inferno destroyed dozens of shacks, leaving hundreds of people destitute, reports Pretoria East Rekord.

The latest fire broke out on Monday morning at the Cemetery View informal settlement.

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

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“Community leaders told us that 450 people were affected due to the fire,” said Tshwane emergency service spokesperson Johan Pieterse.

One death was recorded and three other people were treated for smoke inhalation, said Pieterse.

About 200 shacks were said to have burnt down and an estimated 800 shacks were affected by the fire.

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

“We managed to stop the fire from spreading to the unaffected shacks,” he said.

A Pretoria East Rekord reporter at the scene said some of the now homeless people were rebuilding their shacks, while others were desolately sitting near the charred remains of their homes, guarding the meagre belongings they managed to salvage.

A resident known as Jacob Mayeko said he was awoken by the sound of generators and gas bottles exploding.

He only managed to save his ID and other important documents.

The cause of the fire was still unknown.

The Cemetery View fire came hot on the heels of another fire at the nearby Plastic View informal settlement at the weekend.

More than 500 people were reportedly affected by the blaze.

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

Photo: Liam Ngobeni

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has pleaded with members of the public to donate clothes, food, blankets and shelter for victims who were left stranded by the blaze.

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