Six families are urgently seeking donations after their homes were destroyed when fires ripped through their backyards in Bonteheuwel and Heideveld.
In the most recent incident, two families’ wendy houses were burnt down on Sunday October 28 at about 5am.
Grandmother Wilhemina Nor-
man said she was awoken by screams that the wendy houses were on fire.
“We were sleeping and I heard someone screaming that the bungalows were on fire. Everything burnt down, nothing is left. Luckily there were no injuries. My grandchildren were sleeping inside because they were watching a movie. I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened to them. We are still very emotional about this,” she said.
Heideveld community worker, Denise Meyer, said the family were in urgent need of donations. “Please open your hearts and assist the families in rebuilding their lives. They need building material, food, clothes, and bedding,” she said.
The City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue spokesman, Theo Layne, said the cause of the fire was unknown.
In a separate incident on Monday October 22, four families were displaced when a fire engulfed their wendy houses in Syringa Road, Bonteheuwel, at about 8am.
Tyrone Simon, 49, said he, his wife and three children had lost everything they owned in the fire of which the cause is still undetermined. He said he was at work when he received a call urging him to come home because his wendy house had burnt out.
Mr Simon said a neighbour had told him that one of the children who stayed in one of the four wendy houses had played with a lighter which caused the fire.
“We lost everything, we have to buy everything all over again. The City of Cape Town was here and they told us that they had no materials for us because they used everything in Khayelitsha,” he said.
The City of Cape Town’s fire chief, Ian Schnetler said: “A fire engine, water tanker and rescue vehicle from Epping Fire Station responded to the fire. No injuries have been reported. The fire was extinguished at 8.40am. Two wooden and iron structures were reportedly damaged,” he said.
Bonteheuwel ward councillor Angus Mckenzie , said the fire occurred just after 8am on the Monday morning, and luckily no one was injured. He said this had been the fourth fire in Bonteheuwel for the year so far.
He also said no donations had been dropped off yet. “We are urgently asking people for donations to help these fire victims. They have lost everything, from mattresses to stoves to food. In the one house there was a 7-month old baby.
“I am appealing to the good people of Bonteheuwel to dig as deep as possible to assist these families.Anyone with donations can drop it off at the sub-council office in Kiaat Avenue or at the families in Syringa Road, Bonteheuwel,” he said.