Fire destroys 27 family homes in Zandspruit
27 families lost their homes and everything they owned in a fire in Zandspruit informal settlement.
Ward 114 councillor David Mangena confirmed that the cause of the recent fire that left 27 families homeless in Zandspruit’s Mbele section remained unknown.
Affected residents lost all their belongings including documents in the blaze on January 26.
Mangena said, “We always advise people to not use electricity appliances, especially at night and when they are under the influence of alcohol. I tried to get the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) and Social Development to come and assist where they could with food parcels and somewhere to sleep as it was over the weekend.”
He added he was trying to get help for the residents to rebuild their homes. “I have tried more NPOs to assist. I will always go the extra mile to make sure they get all the help.”
Mangena believed that the only way to prevent these incidents was to build houses in Zandspruit. “This will still happen most of the time as our people remain in shacks. We can only minimise it by reminding the community to exercise extreme caution. If we can get service delivery and start building houses, we will be relieved.”
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According to EMS media liaison officer Xolile Khumalo, the fire was reported at 02:50 and extinguished at about 03:36.
“The causation of the fire incident is difficult to determine due to the nature and structure of the shacks. EMS responded swiftly to the call. But there are always obstacles in informal settlements – the exact location of the incident, narrow roads and entrances – making entry into the settlement difficult.”
She added this was the second incident in five days and was prevalent due to illegal electricity connections, unregulated heating and cooking devices, negligence, etc.
Khumalo said EMS conducted various awareness campaigns throughout the year to educate communities about fire safety measures.
She shared tips to avoid fire incidents at informal settlements:
- When building shacks, allow some space between the structures. When shacks are built in close proximity, it is easy for fire to spread fast.
- Ensure that all electrical appliances comply with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications.
- Don’t use illegally connected electricity.
- Switch off all electrical appliances after use.
- Make sure open fires are extinguished when no longer needed.
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