A massive fire tore through the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban on Wednesday night, leaving more than 40 homes destroyed and at least 70 people displaced. Authorities suspect the blaze was sparked by an illegal electricity connection.
Emergency services worked tirelessly through the night to contain the flames, with no injuries reported. However, residents have been left with nothing, forced to seek shelter in a nearby community hall as they grapple with the loss of their belongings, savings, and crucial documents.
Residents Left with Nothing
Many families lost everything in the fire, including school uniforms, textbooks, and identification documents—devastating losses, especially for children preparing for exams.
“I just saw a huge fire, and we ran out of the houses. We didn’t get time to take anything,” said one distraught resident. “My children’s clothes, shoes, school uniforms, and textbooks went up in flames. They are writing exams, and I don’t know what to do because my ID and money were inside the house.”
Another resident recounted how he lost his life savings in the fire. He expressed frustration over delayed government housing promises, saying, “We always bear the brunt of these flames. The housing allocation process is going at a snail’s pace. They’ve built houses across the road, but we haven’t been given any.”
Challenges for Emergency Services
Authorities highlighted the difficulties faced by fire and rescue teams in densely populated informal settlements, where narrow pathways and lack of infrastructure hinder quick response times.
MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi has prioritized improving disaster response coordination in the province. One proposed solution is the installation of smoke alarms in high-risk areas to provide early warnings and prevent future tragedies.
Disaster management teams are currently assessing the extent of the damage while affected families struggle to rebuild their lives. Community organizations and local officials are mobilizing relief efforts, but residents say long-term solutions—like proper housing and safer electricity access—are urgently needed to prevent such disasters from recurring.