Between 300 and 400 shacks destroyed in devastating fire
A joint operations centre will be set up on Tuesday
It is estimated between 300 and 400 shacks were destroyed in the devastating fire which raged through Max Informal Settlement on Great North Road on Monday night.
According to executive mayor Mzwandile Masina he will visit the site this morning.
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“Our hearts are with the people of Max Informal Settlement after the devastating fire gutted the place. Thank you to our fire fighters and other emergency response teams that went on site,” Masina said in a tweet early on Tuesday morning.
According to him no fatalities had been reported so far and a joint operations centre will be set up to deal with the crisis. He urged affected community members to go to places of safety.
In the morning we will share the names of the three Halls that were opened by the @City_Ekurhuleni as places of safety around Kempton Park area for those who might want to donate food and blankets. #MaxInformalSettlementFires
— Mzwandile Masina (@mzwandileMasina) October 1, 2019
He also thanked the Ekurhuleni taxi industry for making available around 50 taxis to ferry residents to the city hall and Dries Niemandt Park last night.
In the meantime, the Kempton Park community opened their hearts since news of the fire spread on Monday night. Contributions had been streaming in since.
According to a WhatsApp support group set up last night, collection points are at the NG Church Bonaero Park, Pasquale at Woodbridge Centre, Gateway Church on Dann Road and the wool shop on De Wiekus Road in Van Riebeeck Park.
Cause of the fire is not yet established at this stage. Three to four hundred shacks...destroyed.
— Mzwandile Masina (@mzwandileMasina) October 1, 2019
No fatalities or injuries reported at this stage. Our teams are investigating the cause of fire and we should receive preliminary report ASAP. #MaxInformalSettlementFires
