Ten shacks completely destroyed in Centurion fire

A total of 10 shacks were burned to the ground after a blaze broke out in Mooiplaas informal settlement near Centurion on Monday morning.

Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the cause of the fire was being investigated.

“We received a call around 09:30 and when we arrived on the scene, we found that the fire was already blazing.

“Our firefighters managed to extinguish the flames, but unfortunately by then the shacks were already burnt down,” he said.

Mabaso said no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage.

“Our team managed to coordinate relief for the affected families,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mabaso urged communities to be very careful now that the winter is approaching.

“It is common that during wintertime most fires in homes are related to heating. “It can be heating in the form of electricity, or maybe paraffin, coal and wood stoves or perhaps braziers, also known as an ‘mbaola’.

Any improper use of these heating sources may lead to a fire breaking out,” he said.

People should ensure that all heating sources are placed correctly away from combustible materials that can easily catch fire such as curtains, bedding, or wood.

Mabaso said that no heating sources should be left unattended at any given time.

Residents were also advised to ensure that plugs were not overloaded in terms of electrical heaters.

“Don’t try to extinguish any large fires. The best thing is to try to find an escape route by crawling on the ground to an exit point. “Never try to go back inside to fetch belongings once your house is engulfed by fire,” Mabaso said.

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