PORT ELIZABETH - WALMER TOWNSHIP DEVASTATED AFTER FIRE DESTROYS NUMEROUS HOMES

The close-knit community of Area Q in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, is reeling from a devastating fire which destroyed a number of informal homes in the area in the early hours of Monday morning.

Fanned by strong winds, the fire broke out at around 3 am and destroyed 24 homes, leaving between 70 and 100 people without a roof over their heads.

It's not clear yet, what started the fire.

The branch manager of the Red Cross in Port Elizabeth, Coralie Peo-Swartz, said miraculously no animals or people were injured or killed, but that this young community had lost everything. "You can't even see that there is anything to save, it's just ashes."

She said the team at Shoprite Checkers would be setting up a soup kitchen on Monday evening and that Disaster Management was doing its utmost to get some relief for those affected. "It's very basic relief, though, and this community now has to start rebuilding their lives from the ground up. Its a very young community, we wonder how they are going to recover from this but people are resilient and they are able to pick themselves up."

Peo-Swartz said the fire victims were currently being given temporary accommodation at three churches in the area. "We are also busy with the registration of the fire survivors so we can try and source as much assistance for them as possible."

Any donations can be dropped off at the Red Cross offices on the corner of Raleigh and Bain street in Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth, or by contacting Coralie Peo-Swartz on her cell number 083 633 1640.

via - ALGOAFM