A FIRE raged through a shack and spread to neighbouring shacks within a matter of minutes
This was the show put on by the Paraffin Safety Association of South Africa (Pasasa), an organisation that educates communities on paraffin safety and on how quickly a fire can spread.
It was part of the Paraffin Safety Winter Campaign held at the Shongi City Sports ground at the Soul City informal settlement on the West Rand, Gauteng.
Paraffin is one of the most commonly used energy sources.
"Winter has arrived with a vengeance and many household appliances are being used unsafely. As a result many shacks are burnt down, people are injured and killed and households are destroyed," Pasasa general manager Glenn Truran said.Burn victim
Patrick Kulati, managing director of Pasasa, said the Soul City informal settlement was chosen as one of the sites for the campaign "because it is a 96 percent paraffin usage community".
Two hundred and fifty Soul City households were randomly selected for a study by Pasasa in 2011 and it was found that substandard paraffin appliances an widespread use of unpackaged paraffin were associated with the increased risk of fires, drinking of paraffin, burns and respiratory illnesses.
The study also revealed that cramped living space endangers neighbours in the event of a fire.
Sibongile Zenzile-Xego, 38, a community champion for paraffin safety and a burn survivor, said people should put the affected area in a bowl of cold tap water if they get burnt
Study shows dangers of paraffin
A FIRE raged through a shack and spread to neighbouring shacks within a matter of minutes
This was the show put on by the Paraffin Safety Association of South Africa (Pasasa), an organisation that educates communities on paraffin safety and on how quickly a fire can spread.
It was part of the Paraffin Safety Winter Campaign held at the Shongi City Sports ground at the Soul City informal settlement on the West Rand, Gauteng.
Paraffin is one of the most commonly used energy sources.
"Winter has arrived with a vengeance and many household appliances are being used unsafely. As a result many shacks are burnt down, people are injured and killed and households are destroyed," Pasasa general manager Glenn Truran said.Burn victim
Patrick Kulati, managing director of Pasasa, said the Soul City informal settlement was chosen as one of the sites for the campaign "because it is a 96 percent paraffin usage community".
Two hundred and fifty Soul City households were randomly selected for a study by Pasasa in 2011 and it was found that substandard paraffin appliances an widespread use of unpackaged paraffin were associated with the increased risk of fires, drinking of paraffin, burns and respiratory illnesses.
The study also revealed that cramped living space endangers neighbours in the event of a fire.
Sibongile Zenzile-Xego, 38, a community champion for paraffin safety and a burn survivor, said people should put the affected area in a bowl of cold tap water if they get burnt
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