Unexplained fire leaves Kya Sand residents homeless
There are still people in Kya Sand without a place to sleep after an unexplained fire destroyed more than 50 houses
After a fire destroyed more than 50 shacks in Kya Sand, families were left homeless.
Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp confirmed that more than 80 people and 15 children were affected and most suffered from smoke inhalation.
“The cause of the fire is not known. Some families were able to move their belongings to nearby open spaces and the streets. We contacted the Cosmo Fire Station who responded quickly – thankfully there were no casualties.”
Community members and non-profit organisations People for Purpose and Al Imdaad came together to assist and donated clothing, and hygiene packs. Shoprite Soup Kitchen provided all the affected people with soup and bread
Steenkamp explained that fires can happen anywhere, even in the most prestigious buildings. “With knowledge, it does help to respond better to a fire incident and knowing who to call for help. My sympathy goes out to those who lost their homes and belongings. I understand the difficulties of rebuilding. Working as a community is the only way to overcome many obstacles.”
Ward committee member Florence Makaringe said, “We are very thankful to Joburg Emergency Services (EMS) for arriving early to stop the fire.”
She added that the fire affected many residents and some people have no place to sleep. “We didn’t get many donations. If anyone is still willing to assist and donate, they are more than welcome.”
The fire occurred a few weeks after the Public Information Education and Relations officers in the Joburg EMS division did their door-to-door Winter Safety campaign.
Station commander Theresa de Klerk said there are plans to visit the community for training programmes that have already been set in motion. “Community members will be trained in basic fire fighting, basic fire safety and by-laws, basic first aid and basic CPR. The course is done over two days.”
She shares safety tips for residents to avoid or minimise the risk of fire:
- Community members are encouraged to use fire-safe candle holders and not bottles that easily fall over.
- Switch off electrical appliances, especially when load-shedding is experienced. Many fires are started when the electricity is restored after load-shedding and appliances and electrical outlets are overloaded. Illegal connections are also a major problem when it comes to fires and injuries.
- Don’t leave food unattended on the stove, especially when it is an open flame like when using gas. The gas pipes need to be checked regularly when using gas.
- Alcohol use is very common in communities and safety is severely compromised when a person is even a little intoxicated. Do not fall asleep with burning cigarettes, stove and candles.
She urged parents to take responsibility for the safety of their children. “Parents leaving children unattended for long periods of time, especially during the night, has led to an alarming number of deaths in young children in the last few months.”
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