WATCH: 300 shacks destroyed in massive fire at Joe Slovo informal settlement in Cape Town
Dramatic scenes are playing out at the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, Cape Town, as rescue teams work around the clock to extinguish a massive blaze.
It’s understood the fire has been raging for hours.
The flames can be seen lightning up the night sky with a plume of smoke towering above.
Cpt officials are rushing to the scene of a massive fire at the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa. A plume of smoke sits above the towering flames. Extent of damage and fatalities still unclear.
— Nokukhanya ‘Siri’ Mntambo (@khanya_mntambo) April 16, 2022
🎥Supplied pic.twitter.com/EGGvEvh6vp
Bonteheuwel Ward Councillor Angus McKenzie has confirmed fire fighters are on the scene battling the blaze.
“We’re going to be here for an extremely long time tonight. It’s extremely bad. The fire is raging, it’s going from one shack to the next shack.
“We have a number of fire engines and water tankers inside there,” McKenzie adds.
Authorities are yet to take stock of the damage, while no fatalities have been reported.
But some 300 shacks are believed to have been burnt to the ground, displacing dozens of residents.
“In terms of loss of life, we can’t give an update at this point," says McKenzie.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Earlier, community members could be seen standing on shack structures as they watched fire fighters at work.
Watch McKenzie below:
WATCH: A massive explosion goes off behind Bonteheuwel ward Cllr Angus McKenzie as the blaze continues to rip through the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, CPT.
— Nokukhanya ‘Siri’ Mntambo (@khanya_mntambo) April 16, 2022
No stock of fatalities yet. pic.twitter.com/sqCvuYU16c
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