500 displaced by Dakota informal settlement fire
Hundreds of residents of the Dakota informal settlement in Isipingo in the south Durban have been displaced by a fire.
More than 300 shacks burnt to the ground, leaving over 500 people without shelter.
It is alleged that the fire was caused by one of the residents leaving the stove on.
eThekwini's firefighters were called out to the scene on Saturday night.
Division Commander in the South region Thabile Zikhali says it took over an hour to contain the blaze.
"We first contained the fire, I think that took about an hour because it was windy and then we started to extinguish the fire. It was plus minus 300 shacks and about 500 people were displaced. Disaster management did assist in move them to halls," she says.
Zikhali says no one was hurt.
"There were no injuries from residents and no injuries from firefighters."
eThekwini Municipality says its assessing the damage.
"The city's disaster management teams are currently conducting assessments to determine the nature and extent of further assistance to be provided."
LOOK:
Gallery
