Watch: Fire outbreak in Vrygrond damages numerous informal structures

A fire in Vrygrond on Monday morning resulted in damage to several dozen informal structures. The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service reported that crews were alerted to the blaze at approximately 9:30 am, prompting the dispatch of multiple firefighting teams to the scene.

By 10:50 am, the fire had been contained, but it had not yet been fully extinguished at the time of reporting.

Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said: “The City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at around 9:30 this morning of informal structures alight in Vrygrond. Several crews responded to the scene and were able to contain the fire by 10:50. The fire has not been fully extinguished and initial estimates are that several dozen structures have been affected.”

The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre will confirm the total number of structures affected once a formal assessment has been completed.

At this stage, no injuries or fatalities have been reported, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

The incident follows a series of recent fires in informal settlements across Cape Town, including a major blaze in Imizamo Yethu over the festive period, which displaced hundreds of residents and prompted emergency and humanitarian relief operations.

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Cape Argus