02-08-2025
Community rallies around victims of fire at Briardene Informal Settlement
THE north Durban community has come together to help and support victims of a fire that ripped through the Briardene Informal Settlement on Saturday morning.
While there were no fatalities reported, more than 25 homes were destroyed leaving close to 60 families homeless.
According to Ward 36 councillor Heinz de Boer, the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning.
'Several of our Ward committee members got together to co-ordinate humanitarian efforts. We were also aided with assistance from The North Durban Lions Club, the Gift of the Givers Foundation and other Good Samaritans. This just goes to show how the community rallies together in the midst of such a tragedy. We are appealing to the community, if they can, to help donate to the relief efforts,' he said.
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De Boer added that donations of blankets and clothing for children and adults are urgently needed.
The Durban North Pharmacy is one of the drop-off points on Umhlanga Rocks Drive.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage.
The settlement could be in line for a new initiative currently being rolled out at Dakota Informal Settlement in Isipingo.
Last week the eThekwini Municipality, in partnership with Astron Energy, launched a life-saving initiative of cutting-edge smoke and fire detectors.
This initiative, which will be rolled out to other informal settlements, forms part of the Municipality's Level 2 Disaster Management Plan, which prioritises proactive risk reduction, community safety, and the protection of lives and livelihoods.
The devices will alert residents at the earliest sign of fire, enabling swift evacuation and emergency response, a critical intervention in densely populated settlements where fires spread rapidly.
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