Hundreds of homes were reduced to ashes in a devastating fire that ripped through the impoverished Kennedy Road neighbourhood in the South African port city of Durban. The fatal incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
At least one death has been confirmed as a direct result of the fierce blaze, however, fears are mounting that the ongoing search may uncover more victims amid the wreckage.
Video footage circulating on social media shows the scorched and twisted remnants of corrugated iron sheets – once serving as shelter in the slum – amidst smouldering debris. Local residents were spotted desperately attempting to salvage their personal belongings from the devastation.
The origins of the inferno remain uncertain, however, several eyewitnesses have suggested it may have sparked from an argument between two individuals who had been consuming alcohol.
The South African Red Cross has stepped in to provide immediate relief to the survivors, with a spokesperson describing the event as a disaster. Siyabonga Hlatshwayo, speaking to the eNCA news site, estimated that approximately 1,000 shacks were destroyed in the fire, rendering nearly 3,000 people homeless.
The Red Cross, Hlatshwayo detailed, has been distributing essential provisions including hot meals, mattresses, and blankets to those displaced by the fire. He has issued a public plea for additional donations to support the ongoing relief efforts.
This tragic incident comes in the wake of another disaster earlier this month, when a toxic gas leak from an illegal mine claimed 17 lives, including children, in an informal settlement in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the gas cylinder sprung a leak, according to Gauteng Province Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
