400 Tshwane families lose homes as 20m high flames lash shacks, injure four

Four people are receiving medical care and around 400 families are homeless after a fire broke out just before midnight on Sunday at Cemetery View in Woodlands, east of Pretoria.

The Tshwane emergency services department said firefighters arrived at the scene to find multiple shack dwellings on fire, with flames more than 20m high.

The operation was carried out during windy conditions.

Firefighters reported hearing multiple explosions during the operation which they believe to be from gas cylinder bottles.

According to a release on Sunday, firefighters managed to contain the blaze at around 1.38am and fully extinguished the fire at about 3.30am on Sunday.

The total number of shacks on fire was estimated to be 400 during firefighting operations. An assessment is underway to determine the exact number of shacks and households affec

Disaster management and social development officials are on the ground conducting the assessment and a local church is sheltering some of those affected.

Four people, whose gender and ages are not yet determined, were transported to hospital by private ambulance services.

One of the four is in a critical condition. The others are in stable conditions.

Fire safety officials have been dispatched to determine the cause of the blaze.