Almost 20 shacks gutted in Cato Manor fire
Durban firefighters have successfully doused a shack fire that broke out in Cato Manor on Thursday morning.
At least 18 dwellings on Bellair Road were completely destroyed.
eThekwini Fire Department Division Commander Sfiso Mtshali said that when they arrived, the flames were already raging through the roofs of some of the homes.
"Our brigade immediately started defensive firefighting to make sure that the fire does not spread to adjacent shacks. We managed to contain and confine it. No persons were found or reported. All persons have been accounted for, for now.”
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The brigade then began damping down the flames.
“The fire is extinguished. However, we need to damp down and make sure there is no one unaccounted for that is found,” said Mtshali, adding that while the cause is yet to be determined, illegal electricity connections are suspected to have sparked it.
He added that they have recently been receiving a high volume of fire call-outs due to the windy conditions.
"It does have its impact on transporting and taking the fire to unaffected areas. We are having that challenge. We have been getting a rise in frequent calls for the past week, the wind has been picking up."
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