Over the years, there have been multiple fires at the settlement, including a fire in May 2023, which left 250 people homeless.
Image used for illustration. Picture: iStock
A child of 13 died when more than 200 shacks burnt down at the Plastic View informal settlement in Pretoria East in two separate fire incidents in less than a week.
On 24 May, a fire destroyed approximately 150 shacks and, four days later, on Thursday, another 100 shacks burnt in a second fire.
Child dies in blaze
City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson and deputy chief Nana Radebe-Kgiba said preliminary information from the community indicates the fire on Thursday night may have started from a leaking gas cylinder in a shack where a deceased child was found.
“The EMS responded to a multiple shack fire incident at Plastic View in Moreleta Park. It received the fire call shortly before midnight and firefighting resources from central, Silverton, Erasmuskloof and Mamelodi were immediately dispatched to the scene,” she said.
Radebe-Kgiba said about 100 shacks were affected by the fire.
Firefighters worked tirelessly through the night to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further to nearby structures.
“During search and recovery operations after the fire was extinguished, firefighters discovered the body of a 13-year-old child where the fire allegedly started.
“The child was declared dead on the scene. The parents and a younger sibling sustained burn injuries and were taken to a nearby medical facility,” she added.
Emergency response and recovery efforts
Radebe-Kgiba said Disaster Risk Management was busy with assessments and verifications to assist displaced families and consolidate efforts with other city departments and non-governmental organisations to coordinate relief and support for displaced families.
Radebe-Kgiba has reminded residents to exercise caution when using electrical appliances, open flames, candles, paraffin stoves and heating devices, especially during the winter season when the risk of residential fires increases.
Relocation plans and city response
After the first fire at the informal settlement, City of Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya said the city’s plans to relocate South African citizens who live at the Plastic View are ongoing.
Moya said while a site was identified in Pretorius Park, the informal settlement has a large number of foreign nationals, which has complicated efforts for relocation.
“We are in constant contact with home affairs and the South African Police Service about finalising the relocation process and the removal of illegal immigrants,” she added.
Over the years, there have been multiple fires at the settlement, including a fire in May 2023, which left 250 people homeless when 45 shacks burned down.
