A fire gutted 12 shacks and displaced 50 people in site C Khayelitsha, the Cape Town disaster risk management centre said on Friday.
The fire was reported at 4.55pm Thursday afternoon at the informal settlement area next to the Nolungile Railway Station, Lansdowne Road, site C Khayelitsha, spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said.
"Four fire engines, two water tankers; one off-road vehicle and one rescue vehicle were dispatched to the incident."
The homeless were given food, blankets, clothing and building material by the city's disaster response teams on Thursday night.
"Further social assistance will be provided by the social development department of the Western Cape provincial government and the SA Social Security."
The cause of the fire was unknown and would be investigated, Solomons-Johannes said in a statement.
Residents were asked to be careful when working with open flames.
"When going to bed, residents should isolate electrical devices and extinguish gas burners, candles, lamps and paraffin stoves in order to prevent fires."
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