At least 300 people have been displaced following a shack blaze at an informal settlement in Durban on Thursday.
Around 150 homes were destroyed at the Quarry Road informal settlement, along the M19.
"All efforts were made to evacuate occupants as the fire was spreading quickly due to strong winds. A full sweep and thorough search were done to ensure that no one was trapped inside the informal dwellings," the city said in a statement.
Fire and rescue teams continued to search the area to ensure that there were no further flare-ups.
As of April 2023, the disaster management of informal settlement fires falls under the National Department of Human Settlements. This includes the provision of relief materials in the form of building materials.
The municipality will profile the affected victims and hand over the information to National Human Settlements to provide assistance to the victims.
The cause of the fire is unknown, and an investigation is under way.
"A preliminary assessment to determine the extent of the damage will be conducted," the city stated.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Sipho Nkosi on Monday visited the site in Clairwood, Durban, where hundreds of residents lost their homes after a massive fire broke out at an informal settlement.
Over 200 families will spend the festive season in dim spirits after all their belongings were burnt on Friday.
IOL