A fire in Dunoon destroyed about 50 structures, leaving hundreds of people displaced early yesterday evening.
Also read: Hundreds displaced as fire rips through Dunoon
According to Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, Fire and Rescue responded to an emergency call in Dunoon of structures alighting last night.
‘Upon response, an erratic, panic-stricken crowd was desperately trying to save their belongings and was preventing the access of firefighters,’ said Smith.
‘Several units from Metro Police and Law Enforcement responded to assist, helping to protect the firefighters and escort them safely onto the fire line.’
‘The fire was brought under control and extinguished.’
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‘First counts reveal that approximately 50 structures were destroyed and around 250 persons displaced.’
Meanwhile, Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service noted the increased use of items like inverters powered by rechargeable batteries, solar installations, and generators.
In a statement from CoCT, while these devices are fulfilling a crucial role in keeping users’ lights on and keeping their businesses going during loadshedding, users are also reminded that they can pose a risk if not installed, stored or utilised properly.
All systems that are connected to the wiring of the building must be registered with the City of Cape Town before installation, and, from October 2023, only City-approved inverters will be accepted for these systems. This is to reduce the risk of electrocution for those working on electrical grids and also to speed up the solar system authorisation turnaround time.
The City appreciates that residents want to protect themselves from the impacts of loadshedding, and many households and businesses nowadays are using various alternative power sources, said Smith in the statement. ‘However, the handful of incidents that we have on file are more than enough evidence that we all need to be incredibly cautious and vigilant about how we use and store these energy devices.’
‘Ventilation is a key consideration, because of the risk of noxious gases from the use of petrol or diesel, but there is also the very real risk of devices overheating and catching fire.’
‘In the event of a fire, these new age batteries also require very specific firefighting methods, so households and businesses need to ensure that they have the correct fire extinguishers on hand for their specific needs. Our Fire & Rescue Service is also having to factor these developments into their incident management plans, because fighting a fire caused by conventional means is one thing – a fire caused by a generator or lithium-ion batteries or a building with a solar installation is quite another.’
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook