Fire in built environment
Details
This is an expired event!
Event title
South Africa - Firefighters battle major blaze in Hout Bay’s Imizamo Yethu
Source
Severity
Low
Event date (UTC)
2026-03-07 20:15:34
Last update (UTC)
2026-03-07 20:15:35
Area range
Local event
Address/Affected area(s)
Yethu, Cape Town, City of Cape Town, Western Cape Province
A residential fire broke out in the upper areas of Imizamo Yethu’s Dontse Yakhe on Saturday evening, prompting an extensive response from emergency services, reports Cape {town}Etc.
As of late Saturday night, the blaze is reported to be under control, with firefighters successfully containing its spread despite challenging conditions.
Ward councillor Roberto Miguel Quintas confirmed that the city’s Fire Services deployed thirteen assorted fire engines and sixty staff members to combat the flames.
‘Preliminary estimates suggest that approximately eighty structures have been affected by the fire,’ said Quintas. Thankfully, reports indicate that no injuries have been sustained.
Fire services will continue to monitor the situation, dousing hot spots and assessing safety risks as they work to secure the area.
In the aftermath of the fire, the City’s Disaster Risk Management team is set to conduct a thorough assessment on Sunday morning, visiting the site to evaluate the damage and the impact on householders.
City services, alongside partner NGOs and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), will be mobilised to provide soft and grant relief to those affected by the disaster.
Quintas expressed gratitude towards the firefighters, calling them ‘the heroes of every story,’ He urged the public to keep both the responders and the affected families in their thoughts and prayers.
This fire follows a particularly devastating incident in the same area just weeks prior, which saw many homes destroyed, leaving families with nothing.
Humanitarian organisations like Gift of the Givers stepped in to assist those impacted by the earlier blaze, providing essential supplies to children who lost their school uniforms, books, and stationery, as well as shelter for vulnerable residents including the elderly and women.
Our teams responded immediately to the previous fire, distributing hot meals, blankets, hygiene packs, and mattresses, generously sponsored by the University of the Western Cape (UWC),’ the organisation stated.