Three killed in South Africa fires

on 01/01/2013 15:32:25

Three people were killed and 4,000 were displaced when fires swept through shacks in poor settlements in the Cape Town area today, South African media said.

Citing disaster management officials, the South African Press Association said the blazes broke out in Khayelitsha and Thembeni, densely populated areas where many residents live in makeshift homes.

The worst fire started in Khayelitsha just before 5am, when many people were still asleep. Three people died, and another suffered serious burns and was taken to hospital.

The causes of the fires are under investigation.