Officials investigating cause of fatal Cato Crest fire
Authorities say it's too early to identify the cause a massive fire that tore through Durban's Cato Crest informal settlement, claiming the lives of two men.
The blaze gutted as many as 100 homes along Mary Thiphe Road yesterday.
eThekwini fire's Phakade Mchunu says when they arrived on the scene at around 6am, the inferno had already consumed about 40 shacks.
He says it took them an hour to contain the flames.
"We didn't know for sure that it may be a subject of investigation. However, there were reports that the two deceased may have been sleeping. The suspicion at that point in time would have been a naked flame that may have come into contact with combustible material. That is as per the reports we received from some of the residents."
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The police's Thulani Zwane says they've opened an inquest docket.
"There were others burnt during this fire and they were rushed to hospital for treatment," Zwane said.
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