A fire has gutted 30 shacks at the Blackburn Informal Settlement in Umhlanga, north of Durban.
A fire has devastated the Blackburn Informal Settlement in Umhlanga, destroying 30 homes and leaving thousands without shelter.
Community leaders assess the damage as firefighters work to extinguish the last flames.
DA eThekwini Ward 102 councillor Rory Macpherson said the shacks were burnt to the ground, leaving the homeowners without any resources. He said there were approximately 5,000 shacks in the settlement. Macpherson said when he arrived, he was greeted by the sight of twisted metal and the remains of people's homes.
“We do not know the cause of the fire yet. The families lost everything: furniture, clothing, and the shelter over their heads. I have spoken with eThekwini Municipality disaster management, who assured me that a team will arrive to conduct an assessment. The affected residents might be temporarily housed in a community centre in the area,” Macpherson said.
