An estimated of sixty-eight shacks went into flames at Pomona near Kempton Park again, about a kilometre away from Kwa- Max informal Settlement near Great North road where the previous incident of more than two hundred shacks burnt,in the beginning of this month. Unknown number of people are displaced, and fortunately no casualties are recorded thus far.
City of Ekurhuleni firefighters promptly responded to the scene after identifying a ball of heavy dense carbon smoke emitted along E.P. Malan street in Pomona today around 12:00 noon.
On arrival, more shacks were still alight, fire spreading towards the entire informal settlement,other brick and mortar structures in the vicinity due to strong wind blowing at the time.
A fleet of eight fire engines with a composition of thirty firefighters were on the scene to battle blaze. Fire was contained and extinguished within two hours.
The cause of the fire is still a subject of investigations by fire safety officers. Preliminary information on scene states that a lit paraffin stove was left unmonitored and burst into flames inside a shack, fire spreading vigorously to the entire settlement. The alleged person is nowhere to be found.
What is of great concern is that, firefighters visited the settlement last week to educate the residents on fire safety practices.
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