Shack fires plague Swakopmund

SEVERAL shacks were reduced to ashes after fires broke out on two separate occasions in Mondesa, Swakopmund, last week.

The latest incident occurred on Wednesday around 03h00 when a burning candle presumably caused one shack to catch fire. The Swakopmund Municipality’s volunteer fire brigade arrived in time to prevent the flames from spreading over a large area but two dwellings burnt down to the ground and three others were damaged.This came only a week after seven shacks in Mandume Ndemufayo Street were completely destroyed after one was set ablaze around midnight.The cause was seemingly a pot of food left on a burning stove.People who are able to assist the families who lost their belongings can contact Freddie Kaukungua of the Swakopmund Municipality at 081 122 4697 or at (064) 410 4204 during office hours.According to fire chief Tony Moller, it is highly improbable to save a shack once it has caught fire because it burns down completely within a few seconds.Moller told The Namibian that the fire brigade discovered illegal electricity connections from neighbouring houses to shacks in both instances.”People should realise that by doing this [tapping electricity], they create an even bigger risk of fires breaking out,” he said.The Swakopmund Municipality’s volunteer fire brigade arrived in time to prevent the flames from spreading over a large area but two dwellings burnt down to the ground and three others were damaged.This came only a week after seven shacks in Mandume Ndemufayo Street were completely destroyed after one was set ablaze around midnight.The cause was seemingly a pot of food left on a burning stove.People who are able to assist the families who lost their belongings can contact Freddie Kaukungua of the Swakopmund Municipality at 081 122 4697 or at (064) 410 4204 during office hours.According to fire chief Tony Moller, it is highly improbable to save a shack once it has caught fire because it burns down completely within a few seconds.Moller told The Namibian that the fire brigade discovered illegal electricity connections from neighbouring houses to shacks in both instances.”People should realise that by doing this [tapping electricity], they create an even bigger risk of fires breaking out,” he said.