We had no water to put out the flames, say victims of Durban shack fire

Denishree Lutchmiah managed to save most of her belongings. (Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko)

By Tsoanelo Sefoloko

15 Jul 2024

Pregnant woman dies as more than 200 shacks are gutted in informal settlement.

A pregnant woman died when a fire ripped through Siyathuthuka informal settlement next to Kenville in Durban on Sunday morning. Residents said they did not have water to put out the flames.

According to people we spoke to, more than 200 shacks were gutted, leaving more than 600 people homeless. This is the second fire at the settlement in five years.

Resident Musa Nzimande said it was not clear how the fire had started in the shack of the dead woman. He said he had been woken by screams.

“I was sleeping when I heard people screaming, ‘Umlilo!’ (fire). I ran, only to find that I was late because we don’t have taps in our yard. We rely on two standpipes on the main road. While I was busy trying to fetch water with buckets, the fire had already engulfed most of the shacks. Even my shack was burned while I was trying to help my neighbour. I lost everything, I only have what I am wearing, ” said Nzimande. He said there was no water in the fire hydrant in Kenville.

When GroundUp arrived on Sunday, the body of the young woman was still on the ground where her shack had been. Disaster management teams and eThekwini Municipality officials were in the settlement to assess the situation.

Denishree Lutchmiah managed to save most of her belongings. (Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko)

The informal settlement was formed in 2000. There are 10 chemical toilets and there is no electricity.

Denishree Lutchmiah said she had come to Siyathuthuka at the age of 18, because her family house in Kenville was too crowded. She was one of the first residents, she said.

“I am happy that I survived and I managed to take out almost everything I have. Some people didn’t manage to take out their documents,” she said.

Lutchmiah said the dead woman had moved in a few months ago and had been living alone. She did not know the woman’s name.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Long, cold nights and no new accommodation for Marievale families after army destroys shacks

Ncamsile Mthembu said her children had lost their school uniforms in the fire but had managed to save their school books.

“It was like a nightmare watching my shack burn to ashes. There was nothing I could do,” said Mthembu. “We spent half the night on the road waiting for any help from the government.”

Sizwe Nhlabatsi said if there had been better access to water some shacks could have been saved. He said residents needed help with building materials and food.

“We really don’t have anything to eat.”

The spokesperson for the eThekwini Municipality, Gugu Sisilana, said the City was coordinating relief efforts. She said firefighters had worked tirelessly until the fire was extinguished.

“A full sweep and thorough search by fire and rescue teams was conducted throughout the early hours of the morning to ensure that no one was trapped. Sadly, one fatality was reported where a young pregnant woman succumbed to fire injuries.” DM

First published by GroundUp.

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