One dead, two injured in Tshwane informal settlement fire

One person has died and two others have been left severely injured following a fire incident at an informal settlement in Pretorius Park, Tshwane.

In the early hours of this morning, more than 800 shacks burned down, leaving more than 2 500 people displaced.

The exact cause of the fire is still not known at this stage.

Emergency services are on scene.

Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni says evacuation processes were conducted.

“Upon arrival, firefighters reported that a large area in the informal settlement was on fire with multiple shacks well alight and many people were standing outside. Firefighters then started with firefighting operations and initiated evacuation procedures. Firefighters saved numerous shacks from being destroyed by the fire, which was extinguished at about 05:00 am. About 814 shacks burned down and about 2600 people were affected by the fire,” he says.