33 families homeless following devastating Ekurhuleni fire

Thirty-three families from the Ramaphosa informal settlement in Ekurhuleni were left homeless and in desperate need after a fire destroyed eight homes on Saturday.

According to Lindiwe Dlomo, an affected resident, the fire started at 20:00.

She said a neighbour, allegedly under the influence of substances, started the blaze using a paraffin stove.

“The fire started out of nowhere, and when we asked our neighbour, he said, ‘Something told [me] to start the fire’. He came out of his shack naked and ran toward us,” Dlomo recounted, visibly shaken by the ordeal.

“Residents immediately sprang into action, trying to extinguish the flames, but the fire quickly spiralled out of control.

“It was only after the Ekurhuleni firefighters arrived that the blaze was brought under control.

“Sadly, we have lost everything, including our identity documents, school uniforms, school books and phones.

“We are devastated, hungry and desperately in need of assistance,” Dlomo said.

Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed several shacks were destroyed.

“Boksburg Central Fire Station arrived at the scene at 21:07, when eight shacks were already razed to the ground.

“We finished [at] the scene at 22:40, with backup from Germiston Central. There were 15 firefighters on site and no casualties were recorded.”

Ward councillor Tsotang Motloung said the situation is dire, and they are doing their best to provide aid.

“We have reached out to the community, churches and NPOs for donations. So far, we have received food, shelter and clothing for the affected families.

“The families have been temporarily housed in a local church while efforts are underway to rebuild their homes,” said Motloung.

Amid the crisis, the Thusang Community Development NPO has stepped up, donating clothes and school uniforms to the affected families.

Community leaders are co-ordinating relief efforts and accepting donations of food, clothing and other essential items to support the families in their time of need.

Motloung provided the community with five valuable tips to prevent fires:

• Keep shacks at least 3m apart to prevent fires from spreading rapidly
• Be vigilant with open flames and heat sources like paraffin stoves, candles and electrical connections. Never leave them unattended
• Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby to extinguish small fires quickly
• Be aware of the dangers of illegal and faulty electrical connections. Check for warning signs, like flickering lights, odd smells or frayed cords. Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under furniture
• Call the local emergency services’ firefighters promptly in case of a fire.