Two people have died and almost 2 000 were left homeless when fires engulfed hundreds of shacks in three separate incidents in Cape Town during the weekend.
Two of the fires occurred on Saturday evening and one in the early hours of Sunday morning destroying over 200 structures.
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Cape Town’s fire and rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said in a statement an adult male and female sustained fatal burn wounds and were declared deceased by medics.
The biggest fire happened around 2:30am on Sunday and engulfed over 150 shacks leaving more than 1,000 people displaced in the Mfuleni settlement, some 30km (19 miles) southeast of Cape Town.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Carelse said.
South African Muslim charity Gift of the Givers told AFP it was bringing humanitarian aid to the homeless at all three locations, including hot meals and clean drinking water as well as blankets, mattresses and baby care products.
A handful of people were being treated for injuries, while one remained missing, the charity said, adding that community halls were being organised to house the displaced.
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Sourced from African Insider
