In the early hours of the morning, a devastating fire tore through an area in Philippi, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of residents.
Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
The City’s Fire & Rescue Service received an alert at around 2:45am, indicating that informal structures in Mvubu Road, Philippi, were engulfed in flames.
Responding swiftly to the emergency, a total of 13 firefighting resources, comprising over 40 firefighters, rushed to the scene, which was exacerbated by strong winds.
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Despite the challenging conditions, the dedicated firefighters worked tirelessly, and by 8:40am, they managed to contain and extinguish the fire.
However, the extent of the damage was significant, with initial estimates suggesting that over 100 informal structures were destroyed in the fire, leaving more than 400 individuals homeless.
At present, the cause of the fire remains undetermined and Law Enforcement officials have been deployed to maintain crowd control in the affected area as investigations continue.
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
