UPDATE | Khayelitsha fire kills two, destroys 152 homes overnight

An overnight fire claimed two lives and destroyed 152 homes as it swept through Town 2 in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

Fire and rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said authorities were alerted about the blaze at 9pm on Sunday.

“A total of 12 firefighting resources with more than 50 firefighters battled to contain the spread of the blaze,” said Carelse. 

The body of a person who died in the fire was found at 1am. The blaze was extinguished just before 3am.

The fire department estimated about 100 structures were destroyed. The figure was revised to 152 in an afternoon update by the city’s disaster risk management centre.

“The cause of the fire is unknown, and the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service,” added Carelse. 

Disaster risk management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said: "There have been two fatalities. Some affected [people] are staying with friends and/or relatives, while others will be accommodated at a local church in the area."

Gift of the Givers was on site to provide meals and planned to provide a water tanker at the church. Other NGOs assisting with meals for the 532 affected residents were Heal our Land, Islamic Relief and Al Imdaad.

"The clearing of debris from the fire site will commence tomorrow by the specialised services within the city’s solid waste department," added Powell.

TimesLIVE