A weekend of devastating fires
28 October 2024
The City of Cape Town’s firefighters responded to 48 informal structure fires this weekend and in a 24-hour period, from the early hours of Saturday to Sunday, nine people lost their lives. It was not only the Fire & Rescue Service who were kept busy as all the enforcement departments had their hands full.
‘It was a grim weekend for our firefighters as they battled 48 informal structure fires in which nine people lost their lives. I want to extend my condolences to the families. Fires are devastating and traumatic for all those involved. As we head into summer and much higher temperatures, I want to encourage residents to exercise caution at all times with open flames whether fires, candles or cooking methods.
‘The unlawful occupation of land creates a number of challenges for the City and this includes our emergency and enforcement responses to incidents. Our officers are on scene in record time, but are hampered by other factors such as access. Current legislation urgently needs to be amended to prevent the proliferation of land invasions, which exacerbate fire risks,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
In the first incident, four persons sustained fatal burn wounds, including three minors, in an early morning fire in Manuel Street, Wallacedene, on Saturday, 26 October.
At 04:40, the bodies of a man and woman were discovered after firefighters extinguished a blaze in Bida Crescent, Victoria Mxenge.
At around 16:50, firefighters responded to a wendy house burning in Epping Forest – they found the body of a minor beneath the debris. Two other persons were displaced and unharmed.
Just after midnight on Sunday, 27 October, an emergency call was received of structures alight near the Chris Hani High School in Khayelitsha.
The fire was extinguished by 01:45 – two adults, genders unknown, sustained fatal burn wounds.
All these incidents were handed over to the South African Police Service for further investigation.
In enforcement matters, City agencies arrested 298 suspects over the past week on a range of charges.
Traffic officers arrested 52 suspects – 36 for driving under the influence, 11 for reckless and negligent driving, and five others on various charges.
They recorded 56 923 offences, impounded 226 public transport vehicles and executed 2 040 warrants of arrest.
In an incident on the N1 inbound late on Saturday evening, a traffic officer sustained a broken leg in a hit and run incident just before the Okovango bridge, while assisting at the scene of a fatal accident where a motorcyclist collided with a pedestrian.
The driver of the white bakkie that hit the officer, fled the scene.
Law Enforcement officers made 199 arrests for the possession of drugs, ammunition and dangerous weapons.
Metro Police officers arrested 47 people and issued 3 223 fines.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1 813 calls this weekend, of which 147 were incidents of assault, 62 motor vehicle accidents and 47 domestic violence calls.
Residents are reminded to report any criminal activity or emergency by contacting the PECC on 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
