Residents of the Broadwalk Urban Village complex in Midrand are anxiously waiting for authorities to allow them to search for what might remain of their belongings after a devastating fire ripped through several apartments on Tuesday evening.
Of the 139 units, 62 were completely damaged, while 77 others were saved.
Authorities said the fire damaged no vehicles.
The management may have insured the property, but the question remains: how will those who lost their belongings replace them?
Those victims who had insured their household items will be compensated by their respective insurance companies.
But for those who were not insured and lost all or most of their possessions, including their clothes, replacing them will be expensive.
In the meantime, the complex’s owners have made the necessary arrangements to accommodate all the displaced victims in hotels.
Many victims ask how long they will be put up in temporary accommodation.
Unlike the victims of several fires in Johannesburg, where the poor working-class or unemployed victims were housed in temporary government shelters, it is unlikely that the government will provide help for the mainly middle-class victims of the Midrand fire.
Late on Wednesday, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said residents could return to their apartments to assess if there were any belongings they could salvage.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out on Tuesday at the Vusimuzi Hostel in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.
Several people were injured and taken to hospital to receive medical attention.
Ekurhuleni’s MMC for Human Settlements, Kgopelo Hollo, visited the hostel on Wednesday morning.
He confirmed that no one died in the fire, although five families were affected.
“Most were injured when they tried to evacuate the place,” Hollo said.
Pictured above: Broadwalk Urban Village complex in Midrand aflame last night.
