Update: Firefighters face hurdles as a fierce fire rages through Dunoon’s Site 5

Emergency services faced a daunting challenge on Friday as a sprawling fire erupted in Site 5 of Dunoon, disrupting lives and threatening properties.

The densely packed structures within this informal settlement significantly complicated firefighters’ efforts to control the spreading flames.

Upon the first signs of the fire, 14 units from the City’s Fire and Rescue team were deployed promptly to the scene.

However, the common materials used in construction, coupled with the closely-knit layout of buildings, rendered the task of extinguishing the fire nearly impossible once any structure became fully engulfed.

According to the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre, ‘Our firefighting academy specifically trains our crews to ‘get ahead’ and perform a direct attack in such large-scale informal settlement fires. But the dense structural layout prevents our appliances from accessing the immediate area under threat,’

The situation was further exacerbated by strong winds that swept through the area, fanning the flames and spreading the fire even more rapidly. Responders, however, employed innovative techniques to combat the inferno.

An aerial appliance was strategically deployed close to the perimeter as a ‘water tower’, featuring a fixed turret that extended above the tightly packed residences. This allowed for a significant elevation advantage in delivering water to the fire below.

Moreover, drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities proved invaluable. They pierced through the thick smoke, providing firefighters with crucial insights to target precise areas with a high-powered stream of water.

The City of Cape Town’s firefighting helicopter also played a critical role, dropping large volumes of water from above while teams on the ground executed a coordinated tactical approach.

Despite the perilous circumstances, the City remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property. The Disaster Risk Management Centre urged local communities to ‘support our firefighters and comply with their instructions over this difficult period,’