A community in Wallacedene is reeling after a tragic fire claimed the life of a six-year-old girl and destroyed dozens of informal settlements on Tuesday morning.
According to Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, emergency services received multiple calls at approximately 10:15 on 15 July 2025, alerting them to a fire raging through informal structures in Maroela Road.
Firefighters from Kraaifontein, Bellville, Brackenfell, and Milnerton Fire Stations were swiftly dispatched and worked urgently to contain the inferno.
“By 12:20, firefighters managed to extinguish the fire that destroyed approximately 20 informal structures and left 80 persons displaced,” Carelse confirmed.
Tragically, amidst the debris, the body of a six-year-old girl was discovered. She had sustained fatal burn wounds and was declared dead on the scene by medical personnel.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed that they are conducting a formal investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm/Stock
