WATCH | More than 200 shacks destroyed by fire, hundreds homeless in Kempton Park

More than 200 shacks were destroyed, leaving 900 people homeless by a fire that swept through an informal settlement in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.

Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson Aaron Mafunda said the fire broke out just before 7pm on Monday at the Pomona informal settlement.

“We had three tankers and six major fire pumps that we used. We had six different fire stations extinguishing the fire and we managed to contain the fire shortly after midnight.”

Mafunda said that disaster management teams tried to get alternative accommodation for those displaced but residents refused, fearing for the safety of the belongings they could salvage.

“All of them refused because of their belongings they managed to salvage. Although our metro police and SA Police Services were on scene and tried to reassure them that everything would be safe, they still refused to move.”  

Mafunda said the cause of the fire was not established.

He said no one was injured.

This is a developing story.