A man and a woman died in a Cape Town informal settlement fire on Saturday which destroyed 15 homes and left 64 people homeless.

City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said the alarm was raised at 7.26am about a fire at The Gatjie in Diep River.

“Disaster risk management was on scene to consider relief efforts and assist families with immediate requirements,” said Smith.

Requests for assistance had been sent to the provincial human settlements department.

“With the winter cold now settling in, many people turn to open flame fires for warmth,” said Smith.

“With residential and informal settlement fires increasing at a rate of around 10% each year, we implore all residents to exercise extreme caution this winter.

“Never leave an open flame fire unattended and always ensure any fires are made away from surrounding materials that could easily ignite.”

TimesLIVE