Slum fires claim hundreds in Cape Town

Shack fires in Cape Town have become a major killer, claiming more 100 lives in the city last year, it was announced on Tuesday.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Shack fires in Cape Town have become a major killer, claiming more 100 lives in the city last year, it was announced on Tuesday.Between January and December, 115 people died in hundreds of fires that hit informal settlements in the city, Mayor Patricia de Lille said.

Adult men have been the main victims of shack fires, making up for more than half of all informal settlement fire deaths recorded last year, official statistics showed.