Pregnant woman dies, 300 left homeless after Durban settlement fire

A pregnant woman has died and 300 people have been left homeless after a fire ripped through the Kenville informal settlement outside Durban in the early hours of Sunday. 

The City of eThekwini said on Sunday afternoon it was co-ordinating temporary relief efforts for displaced residents. A fire broke out in the area shortly after midnight and the city’s fire and emergency services unit responded immediately. 

A team of 30 firefighters reacted and attended the scene in eight fire engines. The team worked until the blaze was extinguished. 

The eThekwini Municipality’s communications unit estimated that more than 100 small homes were completely gutted. People in the area who suffered minor injuries were treated by medical teams on site. 

“A full sweep and thorough search by fire and rescue teams was conducted throughout the early hours of the morning to ensure that no one was trapped. Emergency personnel, including disaster management teams, are still at the scene to monitor the situation,” the unit said on Sunday afternoon. 

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but investigations were under way as were preliminary assessments to determine the extent of damage and relief required. 

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